This Is How The League of Legends Card Game’s Microtransactions Work

Legends of Runeterra, the digital card game spin-off of the incredibly famous and South Korean-slash-China-centric MOBA League of Legends, will be in open beta during this Lunar New Year. Pre-registered players can actually jump into the game right now.
Which means it’s time to address the Baron Nasher in the room: what’s the microtransaction like? Is it similar to other digital card games like Hearthstone? The open beta has a fully-functional cash store with a bunch of currencies to work with. Let’s break it down:
No Booster Packs? No Problem!
Unlike Hearthstone and similar digital card games, Legends of Runeterra doesn’t force you to buy booster packs and hope to randomly receive the card you want. Instead, cards can be purchased directly using either premium currency or resources earned through playing various modes like Expeditions, the prologue, and ranked mode.
Extra Card Equals Extra Shards

One thing worth pointing out is that you can only have three copies of a card in your collection. If you receive a fourth copy of a common or rare card, it will be automatically broken down into Shards. If you receive a fourth copy of an epic or champion card,Â it will be turned into a different card of the same rarity that you do not already own.
Buying Cards With Shards
Yes, all your Shards can be used to buy individual cards, similar to Hearthstone’s Dust system. Apart from breaking down cards into shards, you can also acquire this resource by completing quests or from a weekly chest called the Vault. Here’s the cost breakdown:

Champion cards – 3,000 shards
Epic cards – 1,200 shards
Rare cards – 300 shards
Common cards – 100 shards

What Are Coins In Legends of Runeterra?
Coins are Legends of Runeterra’s premium currency. Just like in most F2P titles of its ilk, you can only get coins by using real money. You can use Coins either to buy specific cards or on various cosmetics.
Here’s a breakdown in US$:

475 coins – US$5
1000 coins – US$10
2050 coins – US$25
3650 coins – US$40
5450 coins – US$60
11,000 coins – US$125

You Have Wildcard Prices To Factor In
WildcardsÂ come in four rarities: common, rare, epic, and champion. Each wildcard can be redeemed directly for a card of the corresponding rarity. Wildcards can be bought for real money or earned as rewards.
If you are purchasing Wildcards using coins, be aware that you can only buy so many of each rarity a week. This is Riot Games’ attempt to slow down how quickly players can acquire every card in a set and ensure that you always have something to work towards.
Here’s the current price guide for Wildcards:

Common Wildcard – 10 coins (maximum purchase of six a week)
Rare Wildcard – 30 coins (maximum purchase of six a week)
Epic Wildcard – 120 coins (maximum purchase of three a week)
Champion Wildcard – 300 coins (maximum purchase of three a week)

There’s A Starter Bundle If You’re Feeling Generous…
This bundle contains 66 cards, 11 from each Region (LoR’s deck types) and costs 1800 coins. It’s currently on sale for 75 percent off, however, and can be purchased for 475 coins.
This seems like a no-brainer to any beginning player, especially while it’s on sale. But really, it’s up to you if you feel like contributing to Riot Games’ next F2P venture.
You Can Buy Cosmetics Using Coin
One of the main cosmetics you can purchase in Legends of Runeterra are the boards that matches are played on. Using a specific board will change the appearance of your side of the arena. There are six boards of varying styles and costs 990 coins each.
The other main cosmetic you can purchase are Guardians, who sit on your board and look cute; nothing more. There are four different guardians, with each of them costs 590 coins.

You Can Get Shards and Wildcards Without Paying A Single Cent
Basically, just play the heck out of the game every single day. Again, just like in an F2P title on your phone. Here’s how:

The Weekly Vault:Â This chest is redeemed once per week but levels up based on how much you play that week, increasing the value of its rewards.
Daily Quests:Â Each day you’ll receive a new quest with a specific objective like casting spells or winning with a certain deck type. Quests reward experience points to help level up your Weekly Vault.
Expeditions:Â This is Legends of Runeterra’s draft mode, which rewards a variety of resources based on well you do.
Prologue:Â This is a one-time set of rewards you earn when you first start playing Legends of Runeterra. To complete each step of the prologue and earn the associated reward all you have to do is earn XP by playing games and completing quests.

Is This System Fair?
Even at an early stage, Legends of Runeterra feels generous. Here’s why:

There are no booster packs filled with random cards.
You can buy the exact card you want, either with premium currency or crafting resources.
You have a variety of ways to earn in-game resources to craft new cards through quests and the Weekly Vault.
Extra copies of Epic and Champion cards are converted to a different card of the same quality instead of Shards.


World’s First Anime AMV Creator James Kaposztas Has Passed Away

James Kaposztas, best known for making the first Anime AMV (Anime Music Video) has passed away. He was 62.
Kaposztas passing was confirmed in a tweet last Sunday by publisher and co-founder of Anime.com Inc, Michael Pinto, tweeting on how Kapozstas made his first Anime music themed video using only secondhand VHS footage. The cause of death was not given.

To my old anime fandom friend, may you rest in peace James Kaposztas. Know as "Jim" to his friends, he created the first anime themed music video using nothing but second hand VHS footage. #anime #fandom #AMV pic.twitter.com/JfOrNY62F8
— Michael Pinto (@michaelpinto) February 6, 2023

For the world’s first AMV, Kapozstas took scenes from the sci-fi anime Space Battleship Yamato and combined it with the Beatles’ song “All You Need Is Love” back in 1982 when he was a 21-year-old college student. He then uploaded the footage and several more on his YouTube channel called Ultragoji.
Besides being the father of AMV, based on his LinkedIn profile, Kaposztas worked in various positions at Otakon, one of the world’s largest anime and video game conventions, for 22 years.
Michael Pinto made a thread on his tweet, adding:
“Beloved by friends, Jim played a key role in supporting early anime fandom events in NYC and Philly, was an early cosplayer who dressed as Captain Avatar from Star Blazers, and would later be involved with Otakon. What made me proud of Jim was that he took his love of anime and turned it into a professional career as a video editor for over two decades. “
Watch the video down below to get to know James Kapozstas thoughts in an Anime Music Video Documentary:


Fast & Furious Director Is Making A One Punch Man Movie

Justin Lin is set to direct a live-action movie adaptation of the popular anime/manga, One Punch Man, for Sony Pictures.
According to Deadline, Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner, who teamed on Jumanji: The Next Level and Venom, are set to write the movie. Avi Arad and Ari Arad of Arad Productions (Spider-Man film series, Iron Man, X-Men film series, Venom) are producing the film, as well as Lin himself.
Lin is best known for having directed multiple films in the Fast & Furious franchise, as well as other movies like Star Trek Beyond.


New Final Fantasy 16 Trailer Unveils More In-Game Footage Of Its Expansive World

At PAX East 2023, Square Enix held a panel for the upcoming Final Fantasy 16 / Final Fantasy XVI and they unveiled a brand new trailer showcasing in-game engine footage of the game’s expansive world.
What’s impressive is that previous trailers have focused more on the game’s cinematic cutscenes but this new trailer shows us various player-controlled characters running through the game’s varied world and grand environments. There are deserts, jungles, cities, towns and lots of different locations featured in the trailer.
In other related news, Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida recently confirmed that the release date for the PC version of the game will take longer than just six months after the PS5 release date. For more on Final Fantasy 16, check out the gameplay video below and the rest of our coverage.
Final Fantasy 16 will launch for the PS5 on 22 June 2023.
Check out the Final Fantasy 16 PAX East trailer and gameplay below:

Introducing a closer look at the world of Valisthea in Final Fantasy XVI. #FF16 pic.twitter.com/ezqxe35Co1
— FINAL FANTASY XVI (@finalfantasyxvi) March 25, 2023


Kaijus, Yakuzas & Samurai Joins Netflix Anime 2021’s Stellar Lineup

The Netflix Anime Festival 2020 begins today, and the official live stream for the event has revealed several major announcements for anime on the streaming service, including their slate of upcoming new anime.
These include 16 new anime, such as:
Resident Evil Infinite Darkness (2021)

Resident Evil Infinite DarknessÂ is produced by TMS Entertainment and Quebico, the same studio behind 2017â€™s CG movieÂ Resident Evil Vendetta.
Here’s our first look at Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield.

Godzilla Singular Point (2021)

Godzilla Singular Point is a co-production by studio bones (My Hero Academia) and Orange.
The synopsis reads:
When danger comes up from the depths, only young geniuses Mei, Yun, and their team can face the threat in Godzilla Singular Point.

When danger comes up from the depths, only young geniuses Mei, Yun, and their team can face the threat in Godzilla Singular Point! Take a first look at next year’s new series featuring the classic monster. @CG_Orange_eng @TOHO_GODZILLA pic.twitter.com/B7VWyGb3ZZ— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) October 27, 2020

Eden (May 2021)

Eden is a new science fiction fantasy anime by QUBIC Pictures and CGCG.
The synopsis reads:
Sometimes a family is a human girl, a robot, and another robot. EDEN follows Sarah and her mechanical adoptive parents as she confronts a strange, beautiful world.

Sometimes a family is a human girl, a robot, and another robot. EDEN follows Sarah and her mechanical adoptive parents as she confronts a strange, beautiful world, arriving May 2021. pic.twitter.com/1foOcAT8Eh— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) October 27, 2020

Vampire In The Garden (2021)

Produced by WIT STUDIO, the synopsis reads:
Once, vampires and humans lived in harmony. Now, a young girl and a vampire queen will search for that Paradise once again.

Yasuke (2021)

A village in danger, a mysterious child, warring daimyo, and the greatest ronin never known all clash in a Japan of magic and mechs. Produced by MAPPA, learn the story of the first African samurai when LeSean Thomasâ€™ Yasuke, voiced by Lakeith Stanfield, arrives next year.
Pacific Rim The Black (2021)

Long ago, humanity defeated the Kaiju. Now, theyâ€™re evacuating Australia. In 2021 join a pair of siblings and their battered, long-abandoned Jaegar as they battle across a continent of danger in Pacific Rim: The Black.
Check out the first trailer for the new Pacific Rim The Black anime below:
Transformers War For Cybertron Earthrise (Coming Soon)
The second chapter of the Transformers: War for Cybertron trilogy is coming soon.

With the Allspark lost and Decepticons trapped on a dying Cybertron, Optimus Prime pushes the Autobots to the limit in the depths of space. EARTHRISE, the second chapter of the Transformers: War for Cybertron trilogy, is coming soon. @RoosterTeeth @Hasbro pic.twitter.com/up6g4Qt3QB— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) October 27, 2020

Trese (2021)

This anime is from a studio based in the Philippines.
B The Beginning Succession (2021)

They might have solved their last case, but Keith and Koku arenâ€™t finished yet. Hereâ€™s your first glimpse at B: The Beginning Successionâ€™s story of detectives and killers in a high-tech world, arriving next year.
Baki Hanma (2021)

The most dysfunctional father-son relationship of all time reaches its climax when Baki Hanma faces off against the Ogre himself in next yearâ€™s season of Keisuke Itagakiâ€™s brutal fight series!
Thermae Nomae Rovae (Coming Soon)

When Roman Empire bath designer Lucius ends up in modern Japan, heâ€™ll find the two cultures arenâ€™t so different after all. The anime adaptation of Mari Yamazakiâ€™s bathhouse comedy Thermae Romae Novae is coming in 2021.
High-Rise Invasion (February 2021)

As Yuri finds herself in a bizarre world of endless buildings and masked killers, sheâ€™ll do whatever it takes to find her brother and escape. Next year, discover the secret of the skyscrapers in action-horror series High-Rise Invasion.

Rilakkuma’s Theme Park Adventure (Coming Soon)

Grab your tickets and get in line for a new series of stop-motion adventures with Rilakkuma and Kaoru! Join Rilakkuma, Korilakkuma, Kiiroitori, and Kaoru as they explore an amusement park in its closing hours when Rilakkumaâ€™s Theme Park Adventure arrives next year.
Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan (2021)

To truly capture the ways of the world, this manga artist will scour the globe for inspiration! All four episodes of Jojoâ€™s Bizarre Adventure spin-off Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan make their Netflix debut 2021.
The Way Of The Househusband (2021)

Japanâ€™s most evil yakuza makes its cutest househusband. You can follow Tatsuâ€™s journey from underworld legend to domestic bliss when the anime adaptation of Kousuke Oonoâ€™s hit comedy manga premieres in 2021.
Spriggan (2021)

As the armies of man battle over ancient relics, one organization will do all it can to seal them away. Hereâ€™s a first look at 2021â€™s anime series adaptation of legendary action manga Spriggan in action:

You can also check out the full live stream below.


Sony Confirms Shutting Down PS3, PS Vita & PSP Stores

Last week, reports claimed that Sony would be closing down the PlayStation 3 (PS3, PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) and PlayStation Portable (PSP) stores later this year. Today, Sony has officially confirmed that it’s all true in a new notice on their website.
According to Sony, the PS3 and PSP stores will be closed down on 2 July 2021, while the PlayStation Vita store will shut down on 27 August 2021.
However, while players on those platforms will no longer be able to buy games or DLC from those stores, it’s important to note that they can still re-download previously-purchased content (and games redeemed through PlayStation Plus).
For your convenience, here’s what you can still do even after those stores have been shut down:

You will still be able to re-download and play previously purchased game titles.
You will still be able to access previously purchased video/media content.
You will still be able to redeem game and PlayStation Plus vouchers.
You will still be able to re-download and play claimed game titles through PlayStation Plus as long as you remain a member of the service.

Unfortunately, here’s what you won’t be able to do anymore soon:

You will no longer be able to purchase PS3, PS Vita and PSP digital content, including games and video content.
You will no longer be able to make in-game purchases through games on PS3, PS Vita and PSP.
You will no longer be able to redeem PSN wallet fund vouchers (e.g. gift cards) on PS3, PS Vita or PSP devices once PlayStation Store and purchase functionality for these devices close.
Your PSN wallet funds will remain in your PSN account, but you will only be able to use your wallet funds to purchase PS4 and PS5 products on PlayStation Store on the web, PlayStation App or on PS4 and PS5 consoles.

To access your owned games on the PS3, PS Vita and PSP after their store closures, you can do so by heading to the Download List on the respective device.
The death of these digital stores will definitely increase the fear for those already afraid of adopting and relying on digital storefronts for games. The digital-only titles that were previously exclusive to those consoles might soon be gone forever, with the only options being going physical or emulation.


The Division 2 Is A Capitol Idea [Update]

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre: Ubisoft open world loot-and-shoot game that works. No, really!
My 12Â 24+ hours playing the full version of The Division 2 pretty much instilled my faith in loot-and-shoot games with open environments to faff about in.
Granted, it’s not going to take much to impress people after they’re burned out by Destiny 2 and Anthem. But sometimes, it’s the little things that Ubisoft and Massive worked on that add up; the kind that makes their “online services” game feel complete and a little more invigorating than it has any right to be.
That, and the challenge of being a four-man army (or one if you’re daring to go solo) against a battalion of heavily-armed and accurate mofos with guns is indeed an eye-opener. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
America’s Other Army

For instance, EVERYTHING is seamless, from getting to places to going into instances for some action. After you load up your character, you basically go to Washington D.C White House to set up contact with your new handlers and help liberate the region from different killer factions from the Hyenas to the True Sons. And everything about the game from matchmaking to combat transitions smoothly.
There is little to no loading in this game; short of you dying and restarting at a checkpoint or fast-travelling to safe-houses you’ve unlocked, The Division 2 is a smooth experience through and through that get you straight to the exploration and hunting action.

Narrative-wise, It’s a lot to take in since it’s a continuation from the first game, but you don’t have to be thorough about it. It’s just you, your group of Division friends, and the main mission of rebuilding Washington to a liveable state while cleaning up the mess the bad guys have caused.

With many districts like the main capital to a makeshift theatre, you’ll be scavenging and collecting parts and items to help rebuild these shelters through sidequests called Projects. Finish them, and you’ll be rewarded with more gear, weapons, and mods to help you out in combat.
Olympus Has Fallen

Speaking of which, you’ll be doing a lot of shooting, duck-and-cover manoeuvres, grenade-tossing, and flanking when fighting the many, MANY soldiers from these rogue factions. You’ll fight gunners, armoured heavy weaponry-carrying goons, melee guys, engineers who can throw explosives-rigged RCs and set up turrets, and a lot more.
And this is just the path leading towards your goal of reaching Level 30. You’ll be fighting a heckuva ton more elite soldiers and giant drones/robots in the endgame.

Best of all, these enemies are pretty dang smart even in the early parts of the game. They will make an effort to outflank you and reposition themselves to fan your group out with grenades.

Fortunately, The Division 2 offers a ton of weaponry and skills so that you can take care of business. In addition to your usual military shooter arsenal -assault rifles, snipers, LMGs, and a few more that sound really authentic- you also have access to devices and gadgets. Once you get enough skill points, you can equip turrets to place, drones to send out to lay down explosives, and even chemical gels that can debuff enemies camping in the far corners like the jerkasses they are.

Even the locations you fight in are pretty cool setpieces, ranging from a food cafeteria with a ton of tables and counters for cover, to the Washington museum where your firefights happen in the Vietcong War display. I even had skirmishes in a planetarium where enemies were pouring from the ceiling. The later stages when you’re level 20 and beyond are also lovely setpieces to fight in, from national monuments and landmarks to simple TV broadcast stations where the fuzzy TVs can be perfect camouflage for your foes.
Even if it’s your typical kind of cover-based combat, the change in scenery and the smart AI helps elevate it beyond its peers. The dystopian vibe fast-paced electronica tracks composed by Ola Stradh that play during key fights also help intensify the mood.
White House Down
I still have yet to reach the endgame since I’m at Level 12, but so far I’m having a heckuva time just grinding and playing through The Division 2.
My time with The Division 2 was anything but dull. Chaotic? Yes. Tough? Yes, thank to the challenging enemy AI. Buggy? Sure; my game usually disconnects at random at rare times, but I jumped back into the fray pretty quick. But it wasn’t frustrating at the very least. For the first time in a loot and shoot game this year, I feel joy just exploring the lively dystopia of Washington D.C, taking up random Side Missions and gathering loot from conquering Control Points.
Maybe it’s the potentially awesome gold and purple-coloured I get to procure when defeating tough bosses with super-smart squads. Maybe it’s the action setpieces accompanied by a heart-thumping soundtrack and really punchy-sounding guns with various buffs & active effects. Maybe it’s the fact that the game world is lively and makes me want to help rebuild each and every major safe zone to see it get more and more populated.

Either way, everything about this game just clicks positively with me so far. It’s hardly a standout or revolution of the genre -that honour goes to Warframe.
But it does enough to make me keep on trucking until the endgame and its supposed plentifulness. Colour me enthusiastically interested, Ubisoft.

I’m not putting in a score just yet; I have yet to explore the Dark Zone and Conflict modes to the fullest. But I will leave these Pros and Cons for now. Come back next Monday for the full skinny.
Pros
-Shooting and cover mechanic feels great and intuitive.
-Beautiful & lively setting (for a run-down version of Washington D.C).
-Endgame expands your weaponry and challenges.
-Great combat soundtrack.
-Challenging AI and enemies.
Cons
-Won’t change your mind about the loot-and-shoot genre.
-Still a bit buggy in some places.

FINAL SCORE: 80/100


Justice League Snyder Cut To Premiere In Malaysia Via HBO GO

(Updated on 17 March 2021)
It’s been officially confirmed.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League will also debut on HBO GO Asia in the following countries on the same day as HBO Max; on 18 March 2021 at 3.01pm:

 Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Vietnam
Hong Kong
Taiwan

In the meantime, you can check outÂ my own review ofÂ Zack Snyderâ€™s Justice LeagueÂ here, or if you donâ€™t have the four hours to spare and watch the movie later this week,Â head on over hereÂ for my breakdown ofÂ Zack Snyderâ€™s Justice LeagueÂ (along with the biggest changes).

In a surprise announcement via Twitter earlier today, HBO Asia confirmed that the upcoming Justice League Snyder Cut will premiere in Asia (including Malaysia and wherever the platform is available) when it launches sometime in 2021.
You guys made this happen. ? Justice League @SnyderCut will be available on HBO GO in Asia!!!!! pic.twitter.com/P8VNEyT3JX— HBO Asia (@HBOAsia) August 25, 2020
The Justice League Snyder Cut or Zack Snyder’s Justice League was previously slated to release exclusively for the HBO Max streaming platform in 2021. However, that’s only currently available in select countries like the United States.
It was only last weekend during the DC FanDome’s Justice League Snyder Cut panel that director Zack Snyder himself revealed that they were working on alternative distributing models for the movie in countries outside the US.
During that same panel, he also unveiled the first full teaser trailer for the movie, which teased a closer look at Darkseid, Kiersey Clemons’ Iris West, and more focus on Ray Fisher’s Cyborg. All of these were not featured in Joss Whedon’s version of the movie back in 2017.
Check out the aforementioned trailer below:


Seizure-Inducing Tech Issues With VCT Americas Broadcast

Live broadcasting can be a real challenge, especially when it comes to esports. There’s always a risk of production issues such as game crashes or bugs interrupting the show. But recently, Valorant fans witnessed something different during the VCT Americas broadcast that caused a bit of a stir. Viewers were spamming the word “seizure” in chat because of rapidly flashing lights that remained on screen for several seconds.
These kinds of issues are not uncommon during live events, and it takes an entire team to ensure a smooth broadcast. However, it’s rare for a production mistake to actually harm viewers at home. In this case, though, the technical issue with the VCT Americas Week 4 Day 2 match between 100 Thieves and KRÜ caused some serious problems. The “No Signal” screen with flashing lights was so bad that some viewers were calling it “seizure-inducing”, and it happened more than once during the broadcast.

WARNING: This video clip contains rapidly flashing lights & may induce seizures.
People in Twitch chat and the live match thread were freaking out about the severity of the issue. One Reddit user even said they’d never complain about production issues in other leagues again, because at least they’re not trying to kill their audiences! Tarik had to tab off the VCT Americas stream during his co-stream to save his audience’s eyes from the flashing lights.
Thankfully, the issue was eventually fixed after a few instances during the opening matches. But it just goes to show that even with a team of professionals, things can go wrong during a live broadcast.


Shin Kamen Rider To Premiere On Prime Video Malaysia Next Week (Update)

Amazon Prime Video has announced that Shin Kamen Rider will premiere on Amazon Prime Video around the world in over 200 countries on 21 July 2023.

Takeshi Hongo and Ruriko Midorikawa go up against an evil organization ?? Shin Masked Rider on Prime, 21 July. pic.twitter.com/a8fCAclz3e
— Prime Video Malaysia (@primevideomy) July 14, 2023

In other recent news, the movie will also premiere in cinemas in Malaysia and the Philippines on 6 July 2023, and on 28 June 2023 in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Singapore will be getting it in July 2023 as well; fans screening on 8 July 2023 and general screenings on 20 July 2023.
Shin Kamen Rider is a 2023 Japanese tokusatsu superhero film directed and written by Hideaki Anno. Produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Kamen Rider, it is the third reboot of a tokusatsu series to be adapted by Anno, following Shin Godzilla and Shin Ultraman.
The synopsis reads:
Hongo Takeshi awakens to discover he has been transformed into a grasshopper-hybrid cyborg. Becoming the Masked Rider, he must fight the mysterious evil organization SHOCKER to protect all of mankind. “SHIN KAMEN RIDER” is Anno Hideaki’s ode to the legendary Tokusatsu franchise, Japan’s biggest hero, and his dearest childhood icon. Go! Go! Let’s go!
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Far Cry 5 Free Weekend Starts Tomorrow

Ubisoft has announced that Far Cry 5 will be available to play for free from 5 August to 9 August 2021 on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PV via Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Store. Players will have access to the entire game in solo and two-player co-op.
New players will be able to pre-load the game starting today, and will be able to access the Free Weekend during the following times per platform:

PC via Ubisoft Store: 5 August 2021 at 9pm (GMT+8)
PC via Epic Games Store: 6 August 2021 atÂ 1am (GMT+8)
PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4: 5 August 2021 at 3.01pm (GMT+8)
Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One: 5 August 2021 at 3:01pm (GMT+8)

Players who want to continue their fight against The Father in Far Cry 5 will get to keep their game progression and enjoy discounts up to 85 percent off on the game and Season Pass during the Free Weekend. For more information, you can visit the official website here.
Set in America,Â Far Cry 5Â is set in fictional Hope County, Montana, where players will go up against a fanatical doomsday cult, the Project at Edenâ€™s Gate, who are led by the bizarre Seed family. Itâ€™s a pretty great open-world game, though still not as good as 2012â€™sÂ Far Cry 3.
In the meantime, check out my full review of the game here.


Shingo Yabuki Will Be In KOF XV Next Week; 2023 Roadmap Revealed

The King Of Fighters XV is going to have a lovely new year thanks to its Season 2 pass and character additions.
First up is the series’ favourite tryhard fighter Shingo Yabuki, complete with the KOF XV version of his theme song “Still Green”. In the KOF series since KOF ’97, he is Kyo’s student (out of reluctance) and attempts to produce Kusanagi flames from his hands, obviously to no effect. However, he makes for it with hard-hitting knockdown moves that surprisingly reach pretty far. His trademark Shingo Kick can be activated from the air (via EX move), so that’s pretty awesome combo-wise.

Apart from that, SNK also announced a slew of upcoming characters via its Season 2 roadmap:

A Character Refinement update (balance patch) will be due on the same day when Shingo Yabuki is out this month.
Kim Kaphwan will be out in Spring 2023, along with Cross Platform support.
Slyvia Paula Paula (KOF XIV) will be out in Summer 2023.
Najd (KOF XIV) will be out in Summer 2023.
A yet-to-be-revealed character will be out in Autumn 2023.
Another yet-to-be-revealed character will be out in Winter 2023.

Following the 3-guys-and-3-girls character theory, the next two characters will be a male and female, with one of them being a boss character who will end up being free DLC (ala Omega Rugal last year). If you ask me, it’s high time Goenitz (from the Awakened Orochi team ending) makes an appearance after being absent for so long.

Shingo Yabuki and the upcoming character updates will be ready on 17 January for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.


The Dead Space Remake Makes Space Scary Again

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Genre: Third-Person Survival Horror, Horror, Action, Sci-Fi
When I recently replayed the original Dead Space to prepare for this remake, I was surprised by how well it stood the test of time. Most of that game is still great according to current standards even after 15 years. It begs the question: Can the Dead Space Remake justify itself?
After spending almost 30 hours with the game (no, the game isn’t actually that long, more on this later in the review), I can say that while the Dead Space Remake isn’t quite on par with 2019’s Resident Evil 2 Remake, it’s as close as anything we’ve had in the past few years since when it comes to remakes.
Event Horizon

How similar is the Dead Space Remake to the original 2008 game? Well, in a way, a lot of what you remember from the original Dead Space is still almost exactly the same as in the Dead Space Remake. It’s just that the developers at EA Motive have tweaked all of that and improved on them. For instance, the overall basic level design and layout are practically the same, but not 100 per cent.
Along the way, there are differences in the pathways and routes and how you go about them, but most of all, what’s changed is the puzzles, many of which are brand new. One of these new puzzle mechanics are the Circuit Breakers, where you have to open doors by rerouting electricity or power to them but since the power source is limited, you’ll have to sacrifice either the lights or the life support (air). They’re both similarly intense situations; with one having you stumbling in complete darkness while the other will have you clambering to survive while your air supply depletes.
Essentially, doors are opened either by using Circuit Breakers or by having the required Security Clearance to open them. Your Security Clearance gets upgraded as you progress through the story, so it’s really just a way to make the game feel more like Metroidvania where you’ll have reason to backtrack and re-visit old areas for loot.
Speaking of doors, in the original Dead Space, players had to conserve at least one spare Power Node (a rare resource used to upgrade weapons) to open locked doors. In the Dead Space Remake, that’s gone, so you can devote all of your Power Nodes to upgrading your weapons. That’s great because even though they’re the same ones from the original game (there are no brand new weapons), they now have extended upgrade trees and new alt-mode attacks.

Another quality-of-life feature that the developers have added to the weapons is that you no longer have to buy them in order to use them like in the original game. Instead, in the Dead Space Remake, you unlock these weapons naturally by discovering them while progressing through the game’s story. You can then find Schematics. When these are found, you can then buy them in the in-game store to extend your weapon’s upgrade trees. While none of the weapons is new, some of them have been overhauled to be different from their original counterparts.
For instance, the Force Gun is no longer just a weapon that pushes back enemies with a soundwave. It’s now a full-on shotgun that packs a huge punch, so much so that it tears the skin and limbs off Necromorphs. Another example is this, I didn’t like using the Contact Beam in the original game because it just didn’t feel as powerful as it should. The new Contact Beam is pure chaos. Its main fire mode (by pressing the RT button) shoots a continuous laser beam that obliterates anything in its path, while its alt-mode (by pressing the RB button) fires an explosive. Almost every weapon is viable in this one, with the exception of the flamethrower, which is really only good for clearing out those pesky small critters that swarm over you.
Also, the good old plasma cutter is still as good as it was, and you could still beat the whole game with just that. Yes, there’s still an achievement for that, just like in the original game.
Another improvement in the Dead Space Remake is the seamless transition between chapters. In the original game, you had to board trams at the end of every chapter like clockwork, so it’s like switching between levels. The Dead Space Remake is more immersive and more like a modern game since there are no loading screens between chapters and/or travelling to each new section of the USG Ishimura (the spaceship that the game is set inside). The only loading screens are when you boot up the game or when you die.

However, there is one thing that the original game had that the Dead Space Remake doesn’t. You see, the original Dead Space had uninterrupted gameplay from beginning to end because there were no cinematic cutscenes. All the dialogue and story parts featured a third-person perspective which didn’t cut away from the player’s control. In an effort to make the game more cinematic, EA Motive added unskippable cinematic cutscenes to the Dead Space Remake. Admittedly, there are only a few of these throughout the game, but it’s still something worth pointing out when comparing the two games.
There is one new feature that is very welcome, and that’s the developer giving protagonist Isaac Clarke a voice. In the original 2008 game, Isaac Clarke was a silent protagonist, but he was later voiced by Gunner Wright in the sequels. Wright reprises his role in the Dead Space Remake, which is a great decision. Giving him a voice doesn’t make the game any less scary.
In fact, it makes him more relatable and that makes his situation scarier. Plus, it makes Isaac Clarke more of a three-dimensional fleshed-out character. It’s hard to care about him and what happens to him when he doesn’t speak a word. In fact, if I didn’t know anything about Dead Space before seeing Isaac Clarke for the first time in the original game, I would have thought he was a soldier or something. I wouldn’t have known he was an engineer if the game didn’t tell me.
In contrast, the Dead Space Remake depicts Isaac Clarke as a very capable engineer doing what an engineer should do (besides being a Necromorph slayer) and spouting terminolgies an engineer should know.
Hell In Space

Some button inputs have been switched; checking RIG inventory is now using the View Button instead of Y, RT is now stomping and RB is now melee instead of the other way around, Stasis now uses the Y button instead of X. As someone who just recently replayed the original, it took a minute for me to re-adjust my muscle memory, but if it’s been years for you, there won’t be any problem.
Of course, the visuals as a whole have been completely overhauled and it looks great, but I don’t have to tell you that. Instead, I would like to point out one specific visual improvement that I found to be the most impressive: the lighting effects.
Remember how scary it was in the original Dead Space when you had to navigate through dark corridors? The sense of dread? Well, in the Dead Space Remake with its current-gen lighting effects, the corridors can look pitch black, with only the light of the torch on your weapon to guide your way through the darkness. With the aforementioned Circuit Breaker mechanic in play, darkness is frequent.

Arguably the best and most significant gameplay improvement compared to the original Dead Space is the new Zero Gravity mechanics, which are actually taken from previous sequels like Dead Space 2. The zero gravity sequences now allow you to move freely in all directions in a way that feels more natural and free-flowing. Isaac can now fly sort of like Iron Man does, which is the best way I can describe it. It’s not perfect, since the camera angles can get annoyingly messed up if you fly around sometimes and that usually forces me to tilt my head as I press the shoulder buttons to re-balance Isaac’s alignment. , rather than hop from surface to surface.
The zero gravity sections are some of the best gameplay segments in the game because they’re usually new playable setpieces. For instance, the ADS cannon turret sections from the original Dead Space are now gone and they’ve been replaced by zero gravity sections. You actually go into space and have to main cannons while dodging enemy attacks and debris. It’s a thrilling spectacle, and it also gave me my favourite boss battle of the entire game. Well, it’s also the only boss battle that’s actually been changed from the original game. The others are almost exactly the same, which is a bummer.

As for the story and narrative, I won’t spoil them in case anyone reading this either hasn’t played the original game or doesn’t know about the game’s plot. The main story and narrative are the same, right down to featuring the same plot twist. Be that as may be, EA Motive added a lot of new details and additions of the lore into the Dead Space Remake. For instance, I’ve previously mentioned how Isaac is a better character now not only because he can now talk, but seeing him interact with other characters also adds development to the rest as well.
I honestly don’t remember much about Kendra Daniels or Zach Hammond in the original game, despite them being with Isaac from the beginning of the game to pretty much the end. However, now they feel more like actual people, and thus, I became more invested in their characters. I can say the same about Nicole Brennan, Isaac’s girlfriend, and the others. I still think the cinematic cutscenes are unnecessary since the best interactions and scenes in the Dead Space Remake are the ones in the same third-person perspective as in the original.
I also like how the Dead Space Remake adds more content and details about the church of Unitology, a major faction in the Dead Space universe and franchise. In the original game, they only became more prevalent towards the end of the game. Of course, it’s best that I leave the details to players without spoiling the game, but I appreciate the developers putting more worldbuilding into the Dead Space Remake. The original probably didn’t have the luxury of doing the same, considering how it was the first game in a brand new untested franchise back in 2008.

And yes, the Dead Space Remake does feature an alternative or secret ending, but it takes quite a lot of effort to get it. I won’t spoil what it is, but it was a bit anti-climactic, especially considering that I spent almost 30 hours overall to get it. Yeah, I spent almost 30 hours with the Dead Space Remake, but that’s only because getting the secret ending requires completing an entire second playthrough and collecting some hidden collectables.
How long is the Dead Space Remake compared to the original? Well, it took me around 10 hours to finish the original, but the Dead Space Remake took me around 14 hours to finish my first playthrough. How is it longer when the story and levels are similar? Well, that’s because another new feature in the Dead Space Remake is the introduction of side quests.
These side quests are optional and they require a bit of backtracking but they add a lot of details that you don’t want to miss, especially if you’re an existing fan of the franchise who’s played the original games.
For new players, the Dead Space Remake offers many accessibility options that the original didn’t, which makes this game a lot easier to complete as a result. There are several difficulty options like before, but this game introduces a new Story Mode option that gives Isaac the ability to automatically heal like he’s Master Chief from Halo. You can also make the game less scary by turning on the option for the game to warn you of any disturbing content or jump scares.
Of course, all of this is optional, and the Dead Space Remake, at default settings and even on the Medium difficulty, is as scary and challenging as the original.
This Is Isaac Clarke, Last Survivor Of The Ishimura, Signing Off

Simply put, the Dead Space Remake is the definitive edition of the first game. While the story and levels are similar to the original, the improvements (both visually and during gameplay) and new mechanics make this worth playing even for those who have already played the original 2008 game.
Just like the Resident Evil 2 Remake in 2019, I hope the Dead Space Remake brings in new players to the franchise so that it can get more sequels and perhaps we might even get a better Dead Space 3 this time around (if the Dead Space Remake is any indication). This game proves that the franchise definitely deserves more games.
PROS

Improved visuals.
New Zero Gravity mechanics are fun.
More cinematic and immersive than the original.
A lot of quality-of-life and modern improvements to elements from the original game.
Optional accessibility to make it easier and less scary for some players, if they want.

CONS

A lot of levels and story beats are almost exactly the same as the original.
The alternative ending is not worth the effort.

FINAL SCORE: 90/100
Dead Space was reviewed on PC based on a review copy provided by EA. It is now available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.


Apex Legends Is Finally Getting Its First Season, and Octane too

A few hours ago, I wrote this, and joy of joys, we’re finally getting a release date for Season 1!
Respawn just announced that the first ever season for Apex Legends will drop on 20 March at 1 am, local time.

What others call dangerous, Legends call Tuesday. Season 1: Wild Frontier coming at 10:00AM Pacific tomorrow: https://t.co/2ppF4L1WfM pic.twitter.com/ee17eJsCBy
â€” Apex Legends (@PlayApex) March 18, 2019
So, the Battle Pass costs 950 Apex Coins, or you can buy the bundle which costs you 2800 Apex Coins and would net you the Battle Pass, plus unlock your next 25 levels for Season 1 instantly.
How Does This Work?
You’ll have your normal level and a Battle Pass level. Every time you play, you’ll level up these two separate levels. The more you play, the more you get. As usual, as you level up your pass, you’ll get sweet rewards.
Rewards?! Tell Me More!
Players who play during Season 1 will earn free rewards, such as:

A Wild Frontier Legend skin
5 Apex Packs
18 Wild Frontier stat trackers

Those who decide to purchase the Battle Pass will receive exclusive items like:

Lifeline Revolutionary skin
Wraith Survivor skin
Mirage Outlaw skin

And much more, like a Legendary Havoc skin. The level 100 Legendary Havoc skin is the first ever three-stage evolving Legendary weapon skin. As you get more kills (within the match), its eyes glow and its nostrils emit smoke and then some!

Oh, I Don’t Have Money Now
Don’t worry. Even if you buy the Battle Pass later in the season youâ€™ll still receive all the rewards up to your Battle Pass level (which is your current level for the season) retroactively! For example, if youâ€™re on level 20 for the season when you buy the Battle Pass, youâ€™ll unlock all rewards for every level up to 20, plus the three special Battle Pass skins.
If you buy the Battle Pass Bundle, youâ€™ll get the rewards for 25 levels in addition to the levels youâ€™ve already reached. So, if youâ€™re on level 20 for the season when you buy the Battle Pass Bundle, youâ€™ll get all the rewards through level 45 and the three special Battle Pass skins.
Rewards are permanent. If the season ends, you will still keep your stuff.
Anything Else?
You will earn Apex Coins from the Battle Pass as well, and you even get the cost of the base Battle Pass back if you reach level 97.
Oh, I almost forgot about this guy:
Octane
He’s going to be released together with Season 1. However, he’s not a Season 1 bonus character; you have to buy him separately just like with Mirage and Caustic. He cost 750 Apex Coins (US$7.50 or so). This means you don’t need to buy the battle pass to use him.
For an in-depth explanation of the Battle Pass and Season 1, head on here.

As promised, we’ve updated you loyal readers with news on Apex Legends‘ first ever season. Stay tuned for more info on Apex Legends. In the meantime, improve your Apex Legends knowledge with our guide here.


Fallout 76’s Rough Launch Was Expected, Says Bethesda’s Todd Howard

Gamers and publications alike didn’t really expect Fallout 76 to be good, and it certainly wasn’t. I gave it a rating of 20/100 in my review, and even I found that to be more than generous for such a (literal) wasteland of a game.
However, now the developers themselves have admitted that they actually expected the disastrous launch for the game, and this is coming from Bethesda director Todd Howard himself.
In an interview with IGN, Howard said:

â€œThat was a very difficult development on that game to get it where it was.
We were ready for…a lot of those difficulties that ended up on the screen.
We knew, hey look, this is not the type of game that people are used to from us and we’re going to get some criticism on it. A lot of that is very well-deserved criticism.â€

When asked about whether Fallout 76 had caused the once-revered Bethesda (responsible for games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and others) any lasting damage to its reputation, he said:

“I’m sure it’s had some. It would be naive to say it’s had zero. But I think if people come to the game now…they’d be surprised.”

One of the biggest regrets that Howard has for Fallout 76 is that he wishes they had properly and more extensively tested the game before launching the full version to the world, in the form of something similar to Steam Early Access or beta tests. He said:

“The main takeaway we had was you’ve got to let it bake with a large live audience for longer than we did. There are just certain things you can never see until it’s running 24/7 for a number of months.”

Despite all the bumps and bruises along the way, Howard ultimately believes that the game has grown into “fabulous game with an incredible community behind it.” It’s a way of looking at matters positively, I guess.

“We felt strongly this is a game we want to play, this is something we really want to do, and all of the games like this…there’s a [difficult] period when you launch.
It’s not how you launch, it’s what it becomes, and I couldn’t be prouder of the team that’s worked on it.”


Real Madrid’s Best Player Starts His Own Esports Team

Professional footballer Gareth Bale, who currently plays for the La Liga’s Real Madrid FC and the Welsh national football team, has launched an esports team of his own called Ellevens Esports, in partnership with 38 Entertainment Group.

Welcome to Ellevens, my new team! Follow @ellevensesports ðŸŽ® for all updates #TimeToPlay pic.twitter.com/RbGduKfNYH
â€” Gareth Bale (@GarethBale11) February 3, 2020
Ellevens Esports’ focus is currently focusing its efforts on FIFA 20, with the acquisition of three professional players and two content creators, which includes Ethan â€˜EthxnHâ€™ Higgins, Pedro â€˜Resendeâ€™ Henrique, and Tyler Phillips, as well as YouTubers Ryan â€˜ItsHaberâ€™ and Tom â€˜NerdFireâ€™, respectively.
While FIFA 20 may be the only esport announced for Bale’s new esports organization so far, the official website confirms that he will be recruiting players across a variety of games, with plans for up to an ambitious 11 different esports titles to match the name of the organization, and the number of players in a football team.
According to Esports Insider, Ellevens Esports is set to host an open talent search that will allow players to join the organisation under a professional contract. Bale spoke in a press release:

â€œOn the pitch, my goal is always to win.
With Ellevens Esports, that winning attitude is just as important.
There are similarities between football and esports in that it takes real dedication and sacrifice to reach the top of your game.
I am looking to recruit a team of world-class players for Ellevens across a variety of games.
Unearthing new talent is an exciting part of the process and itâ€™s been really exciting to be involved in selecting our line-up of players so far!â€

There are a lot of games that Ellevens Esports could delve into, such as Fortnite, Rocket League, CS: GO, Rainbow Six Siege, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Overwatch, Dota 2, Apex Legends, Street Fighter, Tekken 7, PUBG, League Of Legends, and more.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW_F4MTYQ_Y&w=560&h=315]


Jeff Kaplan Dropped a Very Important Announcement at the Overwatch League Today

Vice President of Blizzard Entertainment,Â Lead Designer and Game Director of Overwatch, Jeff Kaplan dropped some brand new, really cool info during halftime of the Los Angeles Valiant vs Seoul Dynasty earlier today. Focusing on the upcomingÂ Overwatch Archives event, he clarifies (in case you haven’t heard) that Archive events lets you play through defining moments in Overwatch history, such as Tracer’s first match as well as Blackwatch’s first event which will be featured in Retribution, dropping April 10th.
Touting it as being highly replayable, the PvE mission will be available on standard and all-heroes mode and as opposed to similar conditions presented regardless of mode you choose as seen on Uprising, using specific heroes (in all heroes mode) in Retribution will present a different challenge altogether.

Expect to see brand new Talon units including the assassin, sniper and assault class as Reaper, Moira, Genji and McCree attempt to evacuate Venice, Italy. Reaper mains would be glad to hear that a brand new Reaper skin is set to be included in the seasonal lootboxes – Soldier 24Â  – which is Gabriel Reyes’ form during the Super Soldier program. Also spotted in the trailer was Moira’s newest skin, which is her Blackwatch uniform. Check it out:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMgzvpqzdTU&w=560&h=315]
A new map for PvP is also on the way in the form of a ‘daylight version of the same PvE Venice map and will hit the PTR soon. Kaplan confirmed that it would be a payload map and it should be available as soon as Blizzard are satisfied with it.


Dota 2 Singapore Major Cancelled, Mobile Legends Invitational Indonesia Postponed

Yet more video game events have been affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and this time they’re both by organizers ONE Esports; the upcoming Dota 2 Singapore Major and the Mobile Legends Invitational in Indonesia. The news was announced via their official website earlier today.
The Dota 2 Singapore Major has been cancelled. It was originally scheduled to take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 20 to 28 June 2020. This decision came to be because the Singapore government has announced that gatherings of more than 250 people have to be suspended until 30 June 2020.
Meanwhile, the Mobile Legends Invitational (MLI) was initially supposed to take place on 1 to 5 July 2020 in Jakarta, Indonesia, but has now been postponed. ONE Esports and Mobile Legends developer Moonton will announce new dates for the competition in the near future. The Indonesian government has suspended issuing event permits since March 2020.
However, the MLI Online Country Qualifiers that are currently taking place will continue as planned, the winners of whom will earn a spot to the Mobile Legends Invitational in Indonesia.
ONE Esports CEO Carlos Alimurung said:

“ONE Esports is committed to delivering top-notch experiences for Dota 2 and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
These changes were tough to make, but they were necessary.
We place great importance on the health and safety of our esports athletes, staff, and fans.”

Other game events that have also been cancelled, postponed, or turned into digital events due to COVID-19 include Paris Games Week 2020, E3 2020,Â Gamescom 2020,Â EVO 2020,Â QuakeCon 2020, andÂ Taipei Game Show 2020.


FIFA 23 Women World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023™ Update Revealed

EA Sports revealed a new update for football game FIFA 23, adding FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 content to the game, including new key art for Sam Kerr, the Australian national player. This will include a set of FIFA Women’s World Cup™ 2023 modes in-game as a free update at the end of June, including additional sub-modes and changes within the Women’s World Cup mode. Fans of the Women’s World Cup can enjoy playing any of the 32 nations, including all of the players and uniforms as well as the trophy itself.
This update will use the already well-established resources and mechanics of the base FIFA 23 game to bring the world of the Women’s World Cup to life, adding a whole new section of the game to play.

Speaking of which, the new features in the game update include a full campaign to represent your country via the Lead Your Country mode, a Tournament mode to fight your way out of the group stage against other countries or the usual quick matches against AI or friends with the Kick Off mode. EA seem to be focusing on realism and immersion by including as many visual changes as possible to match the real-life FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The update only requires you to own the base FIFA 23 game and can be downloaded for free once the update drops at the end of the month. This applies to all platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.


Titanfall 2 Is Doing Very Well On Steam So Far…

2016’s Titanfall 2 is a damn good first-person shooter where you pilot giant mechs called Titans to shoot down bad guys. It also comes with one of this gaming generation’s best single-player shooter campaigns this side of Doom (2016).
A lot of people are rediscovering that fact, as it’s doing well on Steam.Â Thanks to EA releasing its many EA Origin-exclusive titles on Steam, Titanfall 2 is now one of the top 100 most-played games on Steam. With a peak of more than 9,000 concurrent players (via Steamcharts), it’s more popular than Battlefield V and Star Wars Battlefront 2.
I guess all we’re trying to say here is that you should get Titanfall 2. It’s now on discount for RM39.27 (until 10th July), because you deserve to treat yourself to awesome parkour, run-and-gun, time-warp puzzles, and giant mech action.


Horizon Zero Dawn PUBG Skins Arriving Soon On PS4

PUBG Corporation and Guerilla Games are working together to bring Horizon Zero Dawn skins exclusively for PS4 PUBG players. The reason for this collaboration is to celebrate the two-year anniversary of Horizon Zero Dawn, which was originally released in early 2017 to widespread critical acclaim.
From 5 March to 5 April 2019, PUBG players on the PS4 can redeem free Horizon Zero Dawn content just by logging in, with a bunch of additional content awaiting those who complete in-game challenges or through direct purchase.
Here’s a list of the Horizon Zero Dawn PUBG content players can expect:

Horizon Zero Dawn Eclipse Mask – Play 10 games of PUBG within the event period
Horizon Zero Dawn Eclipse Top – Every player who logs into the game during the event period will receive the item
Horizon Zero Dawn Eclipse Kar98k – Can be unlocked for 8,000 BP
Horizon Zero Dawn Pan – Players who kill 10 opponents using the crossbow during the event period will receive the pan

This is not the first time that PUBG Corp has worked together with PlayStation. Late last year, PUBG for the PS4 launched with exclusive Uncharted and The Last Of Us content. Guerilla Games art director Roy Postma said:
â€œWhen we first spoke with the development team of PLAYERUNKNOWNâ€™S BATTLEGROUNDS about adding Horizon Zero Dawn themed items, we instantly thought of the Eclipse. This secretive and militaristic cult fits perfectly in the PUBG universe; its members dress in intimidating ceremonial garb, intended to strike fear into the hearts of all who dare oppose them. Their warlike nature is displayed by their use of ejected bullet casings from ancient war machines, which they work into rosaries and other ornamental motifs, as well as their masks, which they use to hide their identities.â€
In the meantime, check out the PUBG X Horizon Zero Dawn PS4 Collaboration video below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrinidIGmV0&w=560&h=315]


Saints Row, The Crazier Cousin Of Grand Theft Auto, Is Being Rebooted

Publisher Deep Silver just teased a Saints Row reboot, with a full reveal coming next week on Gamescom Opening Night Live.
The Saints Row official website has been updated with a large image of a brick wall reading “rebooting”. So yeah, reboot. The game’s official Twitter account also confirmed that the reboot will be a “whole new game” and “not a remaster or remake”.

5 days until @gamescom #OpeningNightLive on Wednesday.
We are “Bossing” it with our announcements this year ? https://t.co/osudHTCxj1
See you live, Wednesday at 11 am PT / 2 pm ET / 7 pm BST / 8 pm CEST at https://t.co/FjoDbKD0sN pic.twitter.com/6zE974HW0Q
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) August 20, 2021

Gamescom will kick off on 26th August, 2am GMT+8.


Overwatch League’s Cancelled China Matches Will Take Place In South Korea

Last month, it shook the esports scene when the Overwatch League cancelled all its matches which were scheduled to take place in China for the next two months. Now Blizzard has announced that they are planning to reschedule the matches, which will now take place in Seoul, South Korea.
According to Blizzard, the purpose of this action is “to protect the health and safety of our fans, players, and staff.” The matches will be played during multiple days in the Weeks 6 and 7 of the Overwatch League, which will take place on the weekends of 14 March and 21 March 2020.
Previously scheduled matches in Miami and Atlanta that were set to take place those weekends will remain unaffected. A few of the makeup matches might be added to the Seoul Dynasty homestand in Week 5. However, the makeup matches will not affect the other scheduled homestands in Washington (Week 5), Florida (Week 6), and Atlanta (Week 7).
We will reveal specific match dates and times soon. All matches will be live-streamed on the official Overwatch League YouTube channel.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTsQJ2f_8uM&w=560&h=315]
The Overwatch League isn’t the only esports or gaming-related events to have been negatively affected by the Coronavirus outbreak. The League Of Legends Pro League in China has been suspended, while the Taipei Game Show in Taiwan was recently delayed.


Sekiro Tips & Tricks: How To Ninja Like A Pro

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a fun game. It will also make you its bitch if you play the game carelessly. We’re here to help you out if you’re stuck in the early parts of the game.
We’ll divide this guide into two parts: one for basics and intermediate knowhows, and the other for early bosses. We’ll be putting spoiler tags for the latter; don’t worry.
On with the tips!
Basic Stuff
Visit The Dilapidated Temple Often
If you want to get powered up with skills and prosthetics, you need to visit this temple in the early part of the game. You can also test out new abilities with Hanbei, so that you can use them for real.
Learn To Stealth
You’re a shinobi, and not the 90s kind from Sega. That means you have to use stealth as a means to kill enemies or severely damage bosses. Use common sense and ninja tactics if you want to survive. For instance:

Scope out the lay of the land as much as you can.
Find high ground via your grappling hook or climbing.
Use tall grass for cover.
Plan your escape; find a route so that you can get out of a bad situation.
Be smart about which enemy to take out. If you spot a swordsman and archer together, for example, take out the swordsman first. The archer will not win in a close-ranged fight against you in this situation.
The red dot on enemies is your friend; that’s when you can use stealth deathblows. Remember: while regular enemies can die with these, mid-bosses will only have one of their deathblow markers removed. At least it’ll make the fight easier.

Be Brave & Fight Mid-Bosses
Sure, it’s fine to run away, but if you fight mid-bosses in decent conditions (ie no smaller fries to deal with), then you can reap the rewards. They usually drop Gourd Seeds and Prayer Beads for upgrades. Plus, mid-bosses can teach you how to fight better.
While you’re at it, spend all of your gold and EXP points before going into boss rooms that you can’t escape from. If you die, you’ll lose a good chunk of it.
Be Mindful Of The Combat System

You need to learn when to block, parry, dodge, or run. While blocking and running is fine for most parts, some of the larger and tougher enemies can drain your posture meter quick with their large swings. Some enemies have such high Vitality that you need to whittle it before you can make a dent to their Posture.
But remember: the lower the Vitality, the slower their Posture recovers. Just hit and run these fools until you see that opportunity to score that deathblow. You’re a shinobi; you’re supposed to fight dirty and tactical. Be patient and wait until the time is right to act.
Use Your Goddamn Items
Sekiro expects you to use your items to make certain fights and stealth bits manageable. Don’t use them on-the-fly and with reckless abandon; pick your battles and the right time to use them.
Your Fistful of Ash can stop a lot of enemies and certain bosses; it’s best to save them when you know you can get the upper-hand in battle. Use Ceramic if you see one lone enemy you can lure outside for a stealth kill. Use your stat-boosting items when you feel confident with a particular battle that’s in your favour.
Get The Mikiri Counter First, And Then These Other Skills
Try not to die and build up skill points, then get the Mikiri Counter. This skill lets you counter unblockable thrust attacks. Then, focus on these other skills:

Whirlwind Slash: great AoE crowd control.
Nightjar Slash: good move for closing distance and doing hit-and-runs.
Grappling Hook Attack: another complementary hit-and-run move.
Run and Slide: spot a ranged attacker from a distance? Run up and slide to kick their asses without getting shot.
Suppress Presence: makes you harder to spot even if you’re not completely concealed. Handy for shinobis.

Use Your Prosthetics Wisely
Know the ins and outs of your metal arm gadget thing. For instance, the Firecracker can distract beast-type enemies but they need to be used within the enemy’s field of vision. The Shuriken can interrupt attacks and pick off fleeing enemies. Flame Vent can add damage over time effects on enemies, which you can use as a viable hit-and-run tactic.
Rest Up When You Can
Use Idol Sculptures as checkpoints if you want to take a break and recuperate. The catch? Enemies will respawn all across the map. Also, if you used up Resurrection, it’s usually best to just run and recoup instead of possibly getting killed again and losing your money and experience.
Get Coin Purses
Speaking of which, buy Coin Purses which allows you to keep your money when you die. There are going to be some instances when you can’t avoid a boss fight; might as well find some way to save your hard-earned gold, right?

Boss Guide
Ogre

This guy fights using grabs and sweep attacks. Use dodge when he uses the former, and just jump and kick when he uses the latter. You’ll know it’s a sweep attack when he comes charging at you with a move that looks like a grab.
Wait for him to pull off a dropkick so you can wail on him when he recovers. When he performs his kicks, just get the flow and rhythm of these attacks since they can be parried. Gadget-wise, use the Firecracker and Flame Vent. The former can stun the ogre, while the other can apply damage over time effects on him before he eventually gets stunned. Use these opportunities to deal extra damage on him.
Juzou

You need to sneak around and deal with his guards and henchmen; start from the left of the building then work your way slowly to each enemy until Juzou is left. You do not want to approach the ally Nogami Gensai yet until Juzou is the last man standing.
Once that’s done, just sneak up on Juzou and deal the deathblow, then lead him to Nogami. Now it’ll be a two-against-one fight; be the harasser while your ally gets in a few attacks on this clown. Eventually you’ll get your next deathblow indicator.
Blazing Bull

You’ll need to prep for this fight; bring Dousing Powder and Withered Red Gourd to lessen burn damage. When fighting this bull, you’ll need to parry its attacks sparingly and dodge/hit/run a lot.
You’ll get quite a bit of Posture damage from all that burning attacks you parry. You may want to use your Firework prosthetic skill to distract it when it’s charging at you. Be patient with this animal; you’ll eventually whittle its vitality soon enough.
Corrupted Monk

Just dodge all of his polearm attacks. When he starts swinging them horizontally, jump backwards and out of the way. When he disappears, just run all around the bridge. Run, jump, whatever you can do to avoid his shadow sneak attacks. When he rears up to do his whirlwind sweep attack, just make sure you have a lot of room at the back to jump out of the way because it will track you.
When his vitality gets low, he can summon more shadows for sneak attacks; just be vigilant here when running and dodging.


Street Fighter V Is Bringing Back That Iconic Alpha 2/Animated Movie Stage

In another effort to keep it old school and dish out throwbacks up the wazoo, Capcom is releasing a new stage for Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition that will tickle your nostalgic fancy.

Relive the epic intro to the Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie with the Field of Fate stage in Street Fighter V. This is where Ryu gave Sagat the scar on his chest and where one of Street Fighter's greatest rivalries was born. pic.twitter.com/KXHXVpfMO4
— Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) March 15, 2019

Yep, they’re bringing back field stage from Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie/Street Fighter Alpha 2, lightning and all. It’s slated for a 26 March release, and it’ll cost you US$1.99 or 40k Fight Money.

As fun as this stage is, let’s hope there’s more planned for Season 4, especially in the character roster department.


Ubisoft Bumps Beyond Good And Evil 2 Release Date Out Of 2020

A prequel to the 2003 cult classic, Beyond Good And Evil 2 was initially announced at E3 2017. It’s been almost three years since then, and Ubisoft has yet to give any significant updates on the game. Until now, that is.
In the company’s third-quarter earnings call earlier today, an investor asked CEO Yves Guillemot about whether or not the highly-anticipated game was part of Ubisoft’s plans for the next fiscal year, which is slated to end on April 2021.
He replied (via GamesIndustry.biz):

“It’s not going to be in the five games we will announce.”

That is because Ubisoft has already confirmed that they will be releasing five AAA titles in the next fiscal year, three of which includes Gods & Monsters, Rainbow Six Quarantine, and Watch Dogs: Legion. The remaining two have yet to be confirmed, but it is rumoured that they include new entries in the Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry franchises.
Three of the confirmed AAA games mentioned above will launch between September 2020 and December 2020, while the remaining two will be releasing sometime between January and March 2021.
It looks like early to mid-2020 will be mostly devoid of any major Ubisoft games. Perhaps the company is seeking to capitalize on the 2020 holiday season, which is when the next-gen consoles will be officially launching later this year.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2229DmJLIY&w=560&h=315]


Resident Evil 3 Remake & 5 Other Titles Join Capcom’s Platinum Club

Capcom keeps a list of Platinum Titles, which consists of games that have sold over one million units to date. The Japanese giant has recently updated the list as of 30 June 2020, and six new games have been added, including the Resident Evil 3 Remake from earlier this year.
The six new Capcom Platinum Titles are as follows:
Resident Evil 3Â (PS4, Xbox One, PC) has sold 2.7 million units.Resident Evil 4Â (PS3, Xbox 360) has sold 1.2 million units.DmC Devil May Cry Definitive EditionÂ (PS4, Xbox One, PC) has sold one 1.1 million units.Dead RisingÂ (PS4, Xbox One, PC) has sold one 1.1 million units.StriderÂ (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC) hasÂ sold one 1.0 million units.Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3Â (PS4, Xbox One, PC) has sold one 1.0 million units.
At the time of writing, there are exactly 102 titles in the full list, which you can check out at the official website here. In the meantime, check out my review of Resident Evil 3 Remake here or its multiplayer companion Resident Evil Resistance here.


Red Dead Redemption 2 Delayed – Here’s When You’ll Get to Play It

Rockstar Games has confirmed that Red Dead Redemption 2 has been delayed and will now be available on the PS4 and Xbox One on the 26th October 2018, a good six months off from its projected release in Spring 2018. This is the second delayed release for the game, after it was initially teased for release for Fall 2017.
Confirmed on their official website, Rockstar claimed that the delay was due to the team requiring extra time to ‘polish’ the game. The official statement read:

While we are definitely bummed that we have to wait another eight months before the game is out, we rather go through this, rather than getting an unpolished, unfinished and a mess of a game once it hits the stores. In the meantime, feast your eyes on what’s in store for us once the game is complete.


Fear Street Part 1: 1994 Is A Bloodier Version Of Stranger Things

A slasher is a subgenre of horror films with decades of history. At its core, slasher films usually involve a killer murdering a group of victims, usually using a tool that’s a blade of some kind. From 1960’s Psycho to franchises like Halloween, Friday The 13th and Scream, the slasher genre is extremely popular, albeit one that’s lost its lustre since the start of the 2000s.
Most modern slashers tend to be more self-referential or a homage to classic films, and the first of Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy definitely fits that bill. The bigger question is; what does Fear Street Part 1: 1994 do differently to distinguish itself from the crowd? Read on to find out.
Scream Re-Skin
FEAR STREET – Cr: Netflix Â© 2021
Even from the trailers and synopsis alone, it’s not hard to see that a huge reason why Fear Street Part 1: 1994Â is set in the 90s is to pay homage to one of the most iconic slashers of that era; namely Wes Craven’s Scream franchise. Yes, even director Leigh Janiak admitted the fact in one of her interviews. There’s no running away from that, even the main killer in this movie looks inspired by Scream‘s iconic Ghostface (who have been parodied to death that he’s not even scary anymore).
Is that inherently bad in itself? No, 2020’s Freaky proved that a proper homage movie can still be smart and do something new and memorable. Unfortunately, Fear Street Part 1: 1994Â ultimately doesn’t do much with its premise or setting. The 90s is just an excuse to feature a 90s-style mall (similar to how Stranger Things recreated an 80s-style mall) or feature callbacks to nostalgic stuff from the era like having the characters use AOL Messenger and include a ton of 90s music in scenes (Creep by Radiohead, etc., you get the drift).
In fact, there’s a Stranger Things vibe to the entire thing, but Fear Street Part 1: 1994Â has an added advantage; it’s R-Rated. This means gorier kills and granting its characters the license to freely swear as much as they want to. Still, it’s disappointing that most of the kills and deaths are still boring and bland stabbings or axe to the head. Part of the fun in slashers is usually how creative or unique the kills are, and there’s only one really good one near the end of the movie that’s different enough to be memorable.
My Bloody Valentine
FEAR STREET PART 1: 1994 – (L-R) KIANA MADEIRA as DEENA, FRED HECHINGER as SIMON, BENJAMIN FLORES JR. as JOSH, JULIA REHWALD as KATE, and OLIVIA WELCH as SAM. Cr: Netflix Â© 2021
Despite being mostly a by-the-numbers conventional slasher, for the most part, Fear Street Part 1: 1994Â can boast to be one of the first slashers (to my knowledge) to feature an openly LGBTQ protagonist in the form of Kiana Madeira’s Deena. However, her ex-lover, Olivia Welch’s Sam Fraser, is a closeted queer, which leads to some romantic conflict during the movie. The 90s setting adds even more depth to this, considering that the LGBT community was more ostracized then than they are now in the 2020s.
While some of the characters in the movie still follow stereotypes like jocks and the like, the main cast members who tag along with Deena and Sam are likeable enough and not so limited to generic tropes. These include Benjamin Flores Jr. as Josh (Deena’s younger brother), as well as Deena’s friends; Julia Rehwald as Kate and Fred Hechinger as Simon.
The movie also features a theme about the social disparity in class and wealth between the citizens of Shadyside and Sunnyvale. Despite being neighbours to each other, those who live in Sunnyvale thrive and live in bliss, while those who live in Shadyside (as its name already implies) have to live with downtrodden living conditions and psycho killers who pop up and terrorize every generation. That’s not a joke, by the way, it’s a continuing plot point and mystery across all three films of the Fear Street trilogy.
That said, perhaps the biggest problem with Fear Street Part 1: 1994Â is that it has the unenviable task of setting up the trilogy. It takes most of its time introducing characters, as well as setting up the world and core mystery of the trilogy. With that burden, director Leigh Janiak probably had less space and time to do anything truly special with this movie, especially compared to its two follow-ups.
It’s Only The Beginning
FEAR STREET PART 1: 1994 – (Pictured) BENJAMIN FLORES JR. as JOSH. Cr: Netflix Â© 2021
Alas, this is a review of Fear Street Part 1: 1994Â as a standalone movie and not the trilogy as a whole. Horror fans will probably still appreciate the movie’s references and homages to classic slashers, but besides that, there’s really not much that impresses. Well, on the other hand, the movie does look great and the production value is extremely high, so kudos to the crew and production team for recreating the 90s.
I won’t spoil anything, but rest assured that all the setup in Fear Street Part 1: 1994Â does eventually pay off in the next two films. Still, it’s worth pointing out that this movie is almost two hours of a rather formulaic but stylish slasher film with the production value of an R-Rated Stranger Things. If you find that appealing or if you’re a long-time horror fan, you should still check this out. It’s only the first movie of a trilogy and the next movie is already coming out next week, so you won’t even have to wait long.
FINAL SCORE: 70/100
We received an early access screener of Fear Street Part 1: 1994 courtesy of Netflix Malaysia. It is slated to premiere exclusively on Netflix on 2 July 2021.


The Mortal Kombat 11 Version Of Joker Looks Like A Gas To Play As

If you’re one of those Mortal Kombat 11 players who wished that Joker made an appearance in R-rated form, well you won’t have to wait too long.
The recent Joker trailer for MK11 is out, featuring a lot of Clown Prince of Crime mixups and shenanigans featuring exploding hostages, wheelchair-bound fools, and boxing glove punches to the Nether(Realms) regions.

Major props to the devs for putting in his patented “beat Jason Todd with a pipe until he’s half-dead” move for his Fatal Blow.
Furthermore, a bunch of DC Comics skins will be made available for certain characters. Baraka will be donning Killer Croc’s outfit, while Noob Saibot will be The Batman Who Laughs (essentially a Joker toxin-fied Batman). Kitana will be cosplaying as Catwoman, while Geras can dress up as Darkseid.
You can get the Joker for MK11 on 28th January if you can get early access via the MK11 DLC pack. Everyone else can only get him on 4th February.


Sea Of Stars Finally Has A Release Date

The long-awaited RPG from Sabotage Studio (of The Messenger fame) has finally settled on a release date.
Sea of Stars, which is essentially a lovingly-made tribute to 90s JRPGs like Chrono Trigger but with the 2023 flair, will be out on 29 August for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. If you can’t wait, you can play the demo right now on the Nintendo Switch via eShop.
Key features and trailer are below:

Dynamic Combat:? With every encounter harbouring threats deadly to the careless tactician, victory demands sharp timing, anticipation, and pre-emptive counters to ultra-powerful attacks.
Engaging Exploration:? Climb, dive, swim and leap across a lush world brimming with life and hidden secrets, enjoying the journey between battles as much as the action itself.
Gripping Story: Become acquainted with six playable characters with rich backstories, personalities, and varied motives as the mysteries of a troubled world come to light.
All Fun, No Tedium: Enjoy combat without fear of hitting a wall and having to grind for experience or items; in Sea of Stars, defeat requires a change in battle plans, not hours of repetition to better the odds in a rematch.
Rich Universe: A sprawling, lively land, Sea of Stars‘ hosting region can be enjoyed as a standalone story or a supplemental adventure for fans of The Messenger.
Radiant Lighting: Dynamic light effects pair with a world-influencing day/night cycle to make every area feel truly alive, pushing the traditional visual limits of classically-styled 2D pixel-art games; the only way to properly tell the story of heroes conjuring the powers of the Sun and the Moon.


Here’s What The Upcoming All Elite Wrestling Console Game Will Feature

After the botches that are WWE 2K20 and WWE 2K Battlegrounds, it’s high time another game developer and publisher create a worthy replacement. Enter former WWE 2K devs Yuke’s, who are now developing an upcoming wrestling game with the All Elite Wrestling name on it.
For those not in the know, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is the up-and-coming professional wrestling show promotion that is basically a rival to the WWE conglomerate helmed by Vince McMahon. It’s doing great so far in its 2-year run with veterans such as Jim Ross, Cody Rhodes, and Chris Jericho being involved heavily with the promotion.
The upcoming AEW console game will feature a campaign mode, a multiplayer mode, a create-a-wrestler mode, and “various other unusual modes”. However, it will not include a GM mode, according to All Elite Wrestling executive vice president Kenny Omega on an IGN Japan interview.

“I can say right now that weâ€™re not sure of how many wrestlers will be available upon release, but one thing I can say is that the number of wrestlers in the AEW is growing all the time, and the roster of wrestlers in the game will reflect that,â€ he said. â€œThere will be a campaign, and various other unusual modes, and you will be able to edit your own wrestler, too.”

The Yuke’s team are aiming for a 2021 release, though this isn’t set in stone. The quality of the game will come before release date commitments.

â€œI don’t want to rush it, so I don’t want to make a promise [about the release date]. I want the release version to be good.â€

I think we can agree that after 2K’s attempts at making a wrestling game without Yuke’s, many fans are fine waiting for the best game possible.

Why is GM Mode a big deal?
GM stands for General Manager, and basically, you play as the GM who can set conditions and stipulations, as well as manage wrestling matches and shows, creating the best card possible. GM Mode also allows you to trade players, fixing contracts, improve superstar morale, and pay attention to wrestler injuries. It’s basically a wrestling game’s version of Football Manager, but less spreadsheets and more on-screen action.
It’s obviously a huge undertaking for game developers to create and manage, even under the eyes of wrestling game veterans Yuke’s. So it’s completely understandable for a team to just worry about the upcoming AEW game’s fundamentals and wrestling engine before they add on extra content.


Final Fantasy XIV 5.3 – Exposing the Strengths and Flaws in Final Fantasy’s Hero

With the release of Patch 5.3, Final Fantasy XIV has finally concluded what may very well be one of the best stories that the Final Fantasy franchise has told. After saving the realm of the First from the impending Flood of Light, the Shadowbringers expansion wraps up unfinished business through a tale that revisits Norvrandt one last time before saying goodbye.
Reflections In Crystal is the name given to patch 5.3, the finale in a three-part epilogue to Shadowbringers. Itâ€™s a loaded one, and perhaps all too aptly named, encapsulating many of the themes that Shadowbringers brings forth. The Final Fantasy series has had an obsession with crystals, always finding a way to implement them into their worlds. Traditionally, and most notably with the classic titles, crystals have been a force for good â€“ a divine tool wielded by Warriors of Light to banish the Darkness.

Final Fantasy XIV also makes use of a similar trope. Your character begins their journey blessed with the power of Light from Hydaelyn, who is depicted as giant Crystal entity that tasks you with protecting the world from encroaching Darkness. Hydaelynâ€™s Light has been used multiple times in the narrative to pave way for the heroâ€™s success against larger than life foes. As it does so, however, the game never really stops to ponder whether Hydaelynâ€™s path is truly the right one.
This aspect sits at the heart of Shadowbringersâ€™ story, especially throughout its tense epilogue. The role of the Warrior of Light is broken down to its bare components and questioned. No longer are you simply a just hero who defeats a great evil. Such notions arenâ€™t so black and white, the game tells you. Yet, what’s compelling about this is that in providing a new perspective, Shadowbringers does so without diminishing the classic experience that Final Fantasy fans have grown to expect.
What follows from here on will contain major spoilers from FFXIVâ€™s Shadowbringers storyline. So you’ve been warned…

Blinded By Light

The major villains of FFXIV, the enigmatic Ascians, have constantly used Darkness as a means to oppose your character, the Warrior of Light. However, these circumstances unexpectedly shift in Shadowbringers, as the last of the unsundered Ascians, Emet-Selch and Elidibus, instead use the forces of Light to threaten the world of the First.

Itâ€™s later explained that the Asciansâ€™ end goal all along wasnâ€™t to subsume Light with Darkness, but simply to bring about a world calamity by any means. The villains may command Darkness, but Darkness itself is just a tool. Just as how too much food and drink can take a toll on our bodies, Light too can be bent into a detriment.

Though we were made to believe as such, there isnâ€™t an inherently good or bad element in Light and Dark. This becomes clear in Shadowbringers as it examines the Asciansâ€™ backstories in detail. The Ascians belonged to an ancient race that once existed before the world was sundered into thirteen reflections. Amidst this phenomenon, the souls of the Ascian race were lost, separated into fragments across these parallel dimensions. Only a few Ascians remained, and these survivors then sought to merge these dimensions back together so they may restore the souls of their people completely. Doing so, however, would require the destruction of unprecedented scale in each parallel reflection, which would bring an end to life as that world knows it.
The Asciansâ€™ methods are violent, with clear disregard for all the new precious life residing in each dimension. Yet, as described through Emet-Selch, this is because the Ascians have all but lost everything dear to them. Feeling the cold grip of loneliness, the unsundered Ascians took it upon themselves to become the saviours of their civilization. With so few of them left however, their desperation led to extremes in a last-ditch effort to see their friends and home again.

Many times over in the story, their tragedy and consequent motivation are used to reflect the player. Indeed, you as the Warrior of Light have also cut through many foes to achieve your own goals. Garleans, Ishgardians, Dragons, Domans, and even Ascians lay dead in your wake. All to achieve a supposed greater good, and often in the name of Hydaelyn, of whom we barely know. What is a hero if it means trampling over others for a cause they donâ€™t even believe in?

As Elidibus says to the player, â€œI see you for what you are. You are death, and only in death shall you serve any purpose.â€ Itâ€™s a profound statement that demonstrates how the path you take is, from one perspective, not seen as noble. To Elidibus, who becomes the last of his kind from your actions, you are the sole threat to any hope the Ascians have left to rebuild. To him, you are a malevolent entity who now seeks to drive the original people of the planet into extinction.

With the weight of his people now heavy on his shoulders, Elidibus takes up the mantle that you once held, that of the Warrior of Light. For he is the hero of his story, and you are the evil to be dealt with for the sake of his peopleâ€™s salvation. The final battle takes you for a loop, as Elidibus transforms into an incarnation nearly identical to the Warrior of Light who represented Final Fantasy I in Dissidia Final Fantasy. With this form and the aid of summoned Warriors of Light from other worlds, he confronts you atop Crystal Tower, where you yourself had once fended off the Cloud of Darkness.

The Burden Of A Hero
At the beginning of 5.3, a brief story in which my character spoke to a little girl who wanted to become a Warrior of Light fascinated me. As a Warrior of Light, she said, she would travel all over the world to heal the sick and wounded as an apothecary. She eagerly expressed a desire to help as many people as she could, inspired by an apothecary who had also visited to heal those in need. This was reason enough to inspire her on the heroâ€™s path, to which she promised to the Warrior of Darkness that she would become the best apothecary ever.

The game explains that the title of Warrior of Light doesnâ€™t so much mean chosen one as it is merely synonymous to hero. A hero is one who fights for the people they care about. A hero faces trials and tribulations for the sake their loved ones, their friends, as well as the world they treasure.

Despite the Asciansâ€™ outcry of the player and their Scion alliesâ€™ hypocrisy, the Warriors of Darkness are unwavering in their beliefs. After all, they have a duty to save the realm of the First from utter annihilation, and they also have an obligation to return home to The Source, where friends await them and new threats loom in the horizon. Like the Ascians, they too have things that they cherish.

Through this clash of beliefs, both sides become the heroes of their own story. There is something worth saving and something worth sacrificing. Unfortunately, neither can bend the knee to the other.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Though the player has no choice in this matter, the direction that the Warriors of Darkness take nonetheless make sense. Shadowbringers understands that the idea of a hero is superficial if the hero has nothing to believe in. This is what Emet-Selch points to when he akins the main character of FFXIV to nothing but a mindless puppet for Hydaelyn. Thereâ€™s a smidge of truth to this – your character in FFXIV is a blank slate, and so it can be easy to say that your hero simply does as theyâ€™re told, uncaring as to whether it would bring about suffering.
However, by this point in the game, players have already experienced so much. They have gone on adventures all across Eorzea. Beyond just cutting down foes, they have forged bonds with colourful characters and visited spectacular sights across the region. Just as theyâ€™ve gained allies, theyâ€™ve also lost allies. Theyâ€™ve lived in the world and interacted with it in all the ways possible, growing to love it. With all these experiences fresh in the mind, that such a world must be protected might come as a no-brainer, even as the Ascians try to sow doubt.

Elidibus stands as a reflection of the Warrior of Darkness, but he has forgotten much of what his civilization once was and the promises he swore. Itâ€™s a pivotal point that tells us why you, as the Warrior of Darkness, should triumph over Elidibus. The Ascians are obsessed with the past and refuse to accept the impermanence of life, seeking to end those who exist to bring back those who no longer do. This is a huge contrast from the Warrior of Darkness and their allies, who fight for the people who exist in the present so that they may find happy lives in the future.

With the battle won and the dust settled, Elidibusâ€™ true form is revealed as that of a mere child. The Warrior of Darkness approaches the dying Elidibus with a handful of crystals, plucked from the remains of his civilization. Recognizing them as belonging to his people, Elidibus finally recalls the reason for his long and arduous struggle, which was to save everyone.

Like the young girl at the beginning of 5.3, a childâ€™s innocence drove Elidibus to believe he could save everyone. But the reality was harsh, and though he tried so hard to become their hero, his people still despaired and were eventually lost. In remembering his friends, he finds peace and solace before passing away. The past has faded away, but now makes way for new hope and a chance for things to go differently, a torch which you will carry yourself.
Signifying this passing of the torch, the lyrics to Shadowbringersâ€™ ending theme, Tomorrow and Tomorrow, read as follow:

Pray donâ€™t forget us
Your bygone kin
With one worldâ€™s end
Does a new begin
And should our souls scatter
Unto the wind
Still we shall live on

What It Takes To Save Others

The Final Fantasy series boasts many heroes that go about saving the world from a great evil. Often though, these characters rarely have to question whether they are doing the right thing. Likewise, villains rarely prove complex enough to warrant empathy from the audience. On both these counts, the Shadowbringers story led by Natsuko Ishikawa, explores this flawed simplicity.
But though the expansion contemplates on the role of the hero and tells us it isnâ€™t so black and white, it never tries to undermine it. At the end of the day, our heroes do make a stand against villains who, tragic and misunderstood as they may be, threaten the world we care about. The goal of the story was never to make us doubt our actions, but rather give us the resolve and right reasons to take action.
The final dungeon in 5.3, called the Heroesâ€™ Gauntlet, sees our party make a desperate dash through Norvrandt to reach the Crystal Tower, where Elidibus awaits after summoning an army of Warriors of Light to oppose the party. Seeing their heroes in trouble, the residents of the First, fairies, humans, and animals alike, all rise up to support the party and hold the line as their heroes rush ahead. This situation gives emphasis to the bonds made on your adventure and how Norvrandt has now become a place worth protecting. It also reminds us that hero isnâ€™t something given to you, but is rather a potential that exists in everyone.
Celebrating Final Fantasy

Thereâ€™s little doubt that Shadowbringers exists as a deconstruction of the classic hero trope prevalent in Final Fantasy. But while it explores the fallacy in a hero that can do no wrong, or the chosen hero, or the all-powerful hero, the story retains respect and admiration for heroes, understanding their place in the series and why fans have grown to love them.

Shadowbringers is still packed with cinematic set pieces and otherworldly foes to defeat. You still go on an adventure, meeting new friends along the way, and then somehow saving the world by the end of it.

The positives and negatives of Final Fantasy are seen juxtaposed against each other constantly in Shadowbringers, but in doing so also helps us internalize why we love it in the first place. Through the villains, the story exposes the fault in the legend of the Warrior of Light, but through the excitement of adventure and smiles made along the way, we also see that it doesnâ€™t take a Warrior of Light for true heroes to exist.

On this note, I end by mentioning Shadowbringersâ€™ rendition of Nobuo Uematsuâ€™s Eternal Wind. Itâ€™s a sombre yet whimsical tune which plays in many of Shadowbringersâ€™ heartfelt moments. It also happens to be the tune from the overworld of Final Fantasy III, where four village orphans become Warriors of Light to save their world from being consumed by the void. In this simple tale, they meet the Warriors of Darkness who once saved their own world from the Flood of Light. Through their aid and sacrifice, the Cloud of Darkness is defeated, thereby saving the world.

As a love letter to Final Fantasy III, Shadowbringers excels and surpasses expectations. Light and Dark are just aspects, and heroes can come in all forms. The message sits at the core of the Final Fantasy series, where heroes of diverse backgrounds band together to fight for a common cause.
With Shadowbringers, Final Fantasy XIV now stands as one of the best Final Fantasy games ever made. The lead main scenario writer of the expansion was Natsuko Ishikawa, who is no doubt outside of the general consciousness of typical names when discussing Final Fantasy. Yet, her hand in the narrative has breathed new life into the Final Fantasy name and taken it to new heights. I can only hope that more talented new blood are given opportunities to leave their mark in such a beloved and long-running franchise.
After all, if Shadowbringersâ€™ tale has taught us anything, itâ€™s that the passing of the torch is both a crucial and inevitable part of preserving our world, so it might as well be done right.


Infinix Malaysia Joins Forces With Logitech For Valentine’s Day Giveaways

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, Infinix Malaysia is collaborating with Logitech to give all Malaysians a sweet treat to make this celebration of love extra special. The Infinix x Logitech Valentine’s Day Giveaways will be running from 10 February to 15 February 2023, where customers who purchase any smartphone or laptop from Infinix’s official e-stores on Shopee and Lazada will stand a chance to bring home a set of Logitech Bluetooth keyboard and desk mat worth RM260.
Customers will be rewarded with a lucky draw opportunity upon purchasing any smartphone and laptop from Infinix Malaysia’s official e-stores on  Shopee and Lazada. Five lucky winners will win a limited set of Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard and Logitech Desk mat. The winners’ announcement will be made via Infinix Malaysia’s Facebook and Instagram platforms on the 20th of February.
Malaysian gamers and mobile photography lovers who would like to elevate their mobile experience can seize this opportunity to upgrade their devices to the latest Infinix NOTE 12 2023 and HOT 20 Series, and stand a chance to win limited prizes this season of love.

Below is the list of available Infinix products:

Available Model
Price

Infinix HOT 11 PLAY
(4GB RAM+64GB ROM)
RM469

Infinix HOT 20i
(4GB RAM+128GB ROM)
RM499

Infinix HOT 20
(6GB RAM+128GB ROM)
RM599

Infinix NOTE 12 2023
(8GB RAM+128GB ROM)
RM799

Infinix NOTE 12 2023
(8GB RAM+256GB ROM)
RM899

Infinix Zero X Pro
(8GB RAM+128GB ROM)
RRP: RM1,199
Promo: RM1,109

Infinix Zero X Pro
(8GB RAM+256GB ROM)
RRP: RM1,299
Promo: RM1,209

Infinix INBook X1 i3
RRP: RM1,899
Promo: RM1,699

Infinix INBook X1 i5
RRP: 2,399
Promo: RM2,199

Infinix INBook X1 i7
RRP: RM2,999
Promo: RM2,799

Additionally, customers purchasing these devices from Infinix Malaysia’s e-store on Shopee can enjoy an extra 10% rebate and 10% coins cashback, while Lazada users can enjoy free shipping and cashback deals.
You can visit Infinix Malaysia’s official Facebook page for more details on the Infinix x Logitech Valentine’s Day Giveaway. Stay tuned to their official website and Instagram for the latest product information and upcoming activities, and visit Infinix Malaysia’s official e-stores on Shopee and Lazada at bit.ly/3WIq9nf and bit.ly/3YuPXVq for their latest promotions.


The Mandalorian’s Ahsoka Hot Toys Comes With A Baby Yoda

Hot Toys has announced Star Wars The Mandalorian 1/6th scale Ahsoka Tano & Grogu Collectible Set.
In The Mandalorian Season 2, Din Djarin was quested to return the mysterious baby Grogu to his kind. In his journey across the galaxy, he was guided to seek out the former Jedi Ahsoka Tano on the forest planet of Corvus where Star Wars fans were elated to see the Togruta hero depicted in live-action for the first time.
The highly accurate Ahsoka collectible figure features a meticulously crafted head sculpt with separate rolling eyeballs features and articulated head-tails, specialized physique, skillfully tailored outfit with fine details, a pair of lightsabers, interchangeable lightsaber blades emulating the weapon in motion, and a cloak.
The Grogu collectible figure is featuring a newly developed head sculpt with a great likeness, articulated head and arms. This special set specially features a forest theme backdrop and display base along with a lantern to recreate the memorable scene when Ahsoka and Grogu first meet.
This is the second Hot Toys of Ahsoka Tano after last year’s Star Wars The Clone Wars Ahsoka Tano 1/6th Scale Collectible Figure, which is the version from Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 7.
You can check out why I think Ahsoka Tano deserves her own live-action movie or series here.
Check out the Star Wars The Mandalorian 1/6th scale Ahsoka Tano & Grogu Collectible Set below: