Syntherapy Feels Like A Monotonous Therapist Simulator

Platform: PC (On Steam)Genre: Dialogue-Driven Visual Novel
The issue of artificial intelligence and the right of sentient beings have been explored in many properties of science fiction over the years; from various episodes of Star Trek to anything based on the works of Isaac Asimov or movies like 2014’s Ex Machina by Alex Garland. In fact, Syntherapy reminds me of that particular movie the most.
Both Ex Machina and Syntherapy are concerned with exploring the themes of AI sentience and most importantly, what makes them sentient. That question, in turn, opens up a whole other can of worms; a slew of other questions, so to speak.
Syntherapy is a visual novel adventure game that thrusts the player into the heart of a challenging psychotherapy case where their choices, both in conversations and types of treatment chosen, will have consequences that determine the direction and end of the story.
Players assume the role of Dr. Melissa Park, a psychotherapist called to Petrichor University by research student Tara Northrop. Tara has created an AI named Willow that is exhibiting troubling behaviour that points to the possibility of mental illness.
Meanwhile, Petrichor University president Dr. Harold Freeman is worried that Willow’s sentience could have wider ethical ramifications and wants to have it resolved before it erupts into a scandal that negatively affects the university’s reputation.
Therapist Simulator

Players will have to juggle the requests of both Tara and Dr. Freeman while they delve into the psychological psyche of an AI and discuss some rather heavy subject matter along the way; pertaining to art, philosophy, religion, and more.
The game not only looks at the subject of AI, but also explores a variety of topics related to mental health. As Dr. Park, you’ll have to choose the treatment to administer to the mentally-challenged AI, just like real therapists would with their patients.
While that sounds intriguing, the approach to the gameplay isn’t really well-executed. I’ve played through several visual novels before and the story or characters usually keep me going. Unfortunately, Syntherapy ultimately makes me feel like going through real therapy sessions, which don’t make for a terribly exciting game.
A visual novel can explore complex and mature subject matter without being boring or feeling like you’re being lectured. A recent game that comes to mind is the Malaysian-made game Fires At Midnight by Persona Theory Games, which also touches on similar mental health issues (but it’s worth pointing out; none on AI).
Sure, it’s fascinating how your dialogue choices and even the topics that you choose to discuss with Willow will affect a sort of loyalty system. These choices could favour Tara, Dr. Freeman or Willow, all of whom have different expectations from you. You can even check the state of your relationship with them at any time, as your choices could have either positive or negative effects.
There are a whopping 37 possible endings in the game, but going through even one playthrough mentally exhausted me. I’m not sure if I would be up for more therapy sessions just to find out the secret backstories behind the characters.
I received the ‘bad’ ending on my first try, so maybe other players would be interested enough to try and aim for the better endings. It won’t be for everyone though, that’s for sure. This isn’t a type of game you can just play for leisure or to relax. I could barely endure a single playthrough.
Is This A Game Or A Lecture?

It would help if the game had decent minigames in between the therapy sessions, but all I had were pointless and confusing minigames. One minigame literally just had me popping floating bubbles onscreen by clicking on them. They don’t add value to the gameplay and it would’ve been better if they weren’t in the game.
The only other activity in between sessions in Syntherapy is browsing through a browser-like menu experience, where you (as Dr.Park) would check her emails, check patient notes and file reports. Does all that seem fun? Well, to be fair, it’s probably what real therapists have to deal with ever0y day in real life, and that’s who you are in this game (therapist simulator, remember?).
It’s a shame that the game is really boring, considering that the characters have great voice actors and depth to them. There are layers and layers of backstories, which I’m not motivated to actually figure out because of how droll the game is. The overall presentation of the game looks drab and bland.
One could argue that Syntherapy wants players to focus on the philosophical and mental health issues presented in the game. Still, there’s nothing with having both an eye-catching visual presentation and good content at the same time. Covering serious subject matter doesn’t mean everything else can’t be visually interesting as well.
Oh, and don’t get me started on the deadpan facial expressions of the characters. They look as impassive and wooden as I do while playing the game. I know that this game is a visual novel, and it’s not an unusual thing, but I was hoping for more variety in facial expressions.
One of the only aspects that I can really praise Syntherapy is the game’s atmospheric and good music. Most of the music in the game does well in setting the mood and tone of whatever’s happening at the moment. From that aforementioned desktop browser menu, you can even choose what music to play.
Last but not least, the biggest issue with Syntherapy is the game-breaking bugs and glitches. I was stuck when my game froze on a black screen and I couldn’t do anything about it. It was frustrating when I was already one and a half hours into my playthrough and presumably close to the end, since it felt like a climax in the story.
It wasn’t until a few days before this review was published that a patch finally fixed my problem and I could continue playing. I was right in thinking I was near the end, as the game unceremoniously ended just ten minutes after I resumed playing. While I’m glad that the game-breaking bug was fixed, I can’t be certain I (or other players) won’t encounter another game-breaking bug in Syntherapy.
Losing My Mind

I wouldn’t know who would like this game but budding therapists and perhaps sci-fi fans who are really into AI. There are much better games and even movies which cover the same subject matter. If you find therapy sessions or lectures fun, then maybe you’ll enjoy this game. Unless you hit a black screen and have to start all over again, that is.
Pros
Covers interesting subjects like techno-ethics, AI sentience and more.An interesting cast of characters with secret backstories.Good music to set the atmosphere.
Cons
Game-breaking bugs and glitches.Feels like a slog and chore to play through.Minigames feel pointless and confusing.Not much to do, besides engaging in dialogue and interactions.
FINAL SCORE: 40/100

Syntherapy was reviewed on an Acer Predator Triton 500 via a review copy courtesy of Crowned Daemon Studios.


Violet Evergarden Side Story Movie Coming To Netflix in April

The Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll side story movie is coming to Netflix on April 2. The streaming service, which also has the series, made the announcement on Twitter.

This trailer for Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll got me crying in thirty seconds, thanks Kyoto Animation. pic.twitter.com/A0Oc3fj2cP
— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) March 3, 2020

April 2nd!
— Netflix Geeked @ SDCC #NetflixSDCC (@NetflixGeeked) March 3, 2020

The first half of the movie follows the titular Violet Evergarden as she becomes a tutor to Isabella York, an heir to the York family who misses a person from her past. In the second half, Violet’s postal company receives a visit from an orphan called Taylor, who wishes to become a postman.
In Japan, Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll was originally meant to screen for two weeks starting from September 6, 2019, but it ended up screening for five weeks. It came to Malaysian theatres last November, where it was screened in TGV cinemas.
I watched Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll during its local theatrical run and was moved by its incredibly touching moments. The movie’s production quality is also a testament to Kyoto Animation’s prowess.
While KyoAni has other upcoming movies, including a Violet Evergarden sequel movie, Crunchyroll’s Daryl Harding notes that this was the last project it completed before the arson attack in July 18 last year. The sequel movie is scheduled to release on April 24 in Japan, after being pushed back from January 10.


One Piece Netflix Live Action Show Will Not Be Out Until Creator Eiichiro Oda Is Happy

One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has provided an official update on the status of Netflix’s live-action One Piece series. According to him, the series won’t premiere until he himself is satisfied with it, even though it was previously confirmed that it would premiere sometime in 2023.

Ever since the beginning of our partnership with Eiichiro Oda, we have been working closely to bring the ONE PIECE live action to you — we welcome everyone to this adventurous world! pic.twitter.com/Woki8YZ27H
— Netflix (@netflix) May 4, 2023

The cast for Netflix’s One Piece includes Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji. Vincent Regan, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, Morgan Davies, Aidan Scott, Langley Kirkwood, Jeff Ward, Celeste Loots, Alexander Maniatis, McKinley Belcher III, Craig Fairbrass, Steven Ward, and Chioma Umeala will also appear in the series.
The official description for the series describes it as a “legendary high-seas adventure unlike any other. Monkey D. Luffy is a young adventurer who has longed for a life of freedom since he can remember. Luffy sets off from his small village on a perilous journey to find the legendary fabled treasure, One Piece, to become King of the Pirates! But in order to find the ultimate prize, Luffy will need to assemble the crew he’s always wanted before finding a ship to sail, searching every inch of the vast blue seas, outpacing the Marines, and outwitting dangerous rivals at every turn.”
Matt Owens and Steven Maeda serve as writers, executive producers, and showrunners. It is created in partnership with Shueisha and produced by Tomorrow Studios and Netflix. Oda executive produces along with Tomorrow Studios’ Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements.
The full letter from Eiichiro Oda can be read below:
I’ve been working with Tomorrow Studios and Netflix for quite some time now. Even though they understand each of the characters, we obviously come from very different cultures so, when it comes to entertainment, we have different codes, skill sets, and aims. Sometimes it could be frustrating for both sides. It felt like, “We’re all trying to get to the same place so how come we’re not on the same wavelength?” there was even a time when I thought, “Is a foreign production even possible?!”
Now, this might seem like it’s coming out of nowhere but…we’ve been hard at work this entire time. And now, each and every entity involved is working in sync. We’re finally here!! Considering my expected life span, I believe this is the last chance to bring ONE PIECE to the entire world. If we’re going to do it, I want to be able to supervise things while I’m still active. That’s why I agreed to the live-action adaptation of one piece back in 2016.
Since then, Netflix has committed enormous resources to the production. It was announced that the show will launch in 2023, but they’ve promised that we won’t launch it until I’m satisfied.
The entire cast and crew, spanning various countries brimming with love for ONE PIECE!! They’re burning with passion, and I’ve reminded everyone involved that this should be fun.
We’re in the final process! Right now! Of finishing all 8 episodes! We’ll be setting sail very soon!!
In the meantime, you can start watching the One Piece anime, which is currently streaming on Netflix.


The Witcher Season 2 Is Bigger & Better In Almost Every Way

Netflix’s The Witcher is now back after a whopping two years since the debut of its first season in 2019. Season 1 was divisive due to its inconsistentÂ and confusing non-linear narrative. Despite that, it was pretty decent for a first effort, and things can only go uphill from there, right? I’m happy to report that yes, The Witcher Season 2 is definitely a huge improvement over the first season.
Lion Cub Of Cintra

The Witcher Season 2 picks up almost immediately from the events at the end of Season 1. If you’re worried about getting disoriented all over again, don’t be. It’s easy to pick up even if you’ve forgotten some details. The Witcher Season 2 fixes the biggest problem from Season 1; the non-linear narrative, and replaces it with a more conventional straightforward and linear plot.
Similar to other shows, you’ll be following Geralt (Henry Cavill) and Ciri (Freya Allan) and the others in real-time, instead of jumping around from the past to the future and vice versa as we did in Season 1. Another criticism about Season 1 is that it was mostly all build-up with not much payoff. For example, Geralt and Ciri never even meet until the very end of Season 1. In Season 2, we finally get to explore the relationship and dynamic between those two characters.

Back in my Season 1 review, I criticised Freya Allan’s Ciri as bland and disappointing. To my pleasant surprise, she’s probably the best thing in The Witcher Season 2. Her performance is much more captivating this time around as she’s actually given the time and material to showcase her resourcefulness and stubbornness. You can’t help but root for her and want to see more of her, especially her interactions with Geralt and the other Witchers. This is a good thing, as it’s now less likely for Henry Cavill to break his back carrying the show.
The narrative in The Witcher Season 2 essentially switches between two main storylines; one featuring Geralt and Ciri, and the other focusing on Yennefer’s (Anya Chalotra) journey. Fans of the books or games will be happy to see other Witchers appearing for the first time in live-action, including the long-awaited debut of Geralt’s mentor, Vesemir (Kim Bodnia). Speaking of Vesemir, The Witcher Season 2 does, in fact, reference the Netflix animated movieÂ The Witcher Nightmare Of The Wolf. It’s definitely recommended viewing if you want to fully understand Vesemir’s past with Geralt and what drives the character.
Of Elfs And Monsters

The plot is more engaging this time around because there’s an actual overarching and serialized storyline to follow, instead of the individual monster-of-the-week episodes we had in Season 1. There are different subplots for Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer, as well as exploring themes like humanity’s xenophobia against elves and delving deeper into the lore of the Continent. Each episode also features at least one fight or action sequence, so viewers won’t lack thrills or excitement. This results in pacing that’s faster and less plodding than in Season 1, which makes this season much more binge-friendly.
Another positive impact of all these new characters and Ciri finally being with Geralt is that it further refines and develops Geralt as a character, adding more dimensions and layers we’ve never seen before. He may have seemed gruff and reserved in Season 1, but in Season 2, he’s starting to become more open to working with others and even acting as a mentor to Ciri, following in the footsteps of Vesemir in that regard. Also, if you miss Joey Batey’s Jaskier, he’s still in The Witcher Season 2, though not as much as in Season 1. Does he have another ‘Toss A Coin To Your Witcher” hit? You’ll have to wait and see for yourselves.
The Leshen.
Besides the characters, it’s clear that Netflix has provided a much larger budget for The Witcher Season 2. The effect of that can be seen in the higher production value, better sets, and better visual effects all around. The first season had some iffy special effects, which tarnished the immersion a little bit. The Witcher Season 2 turns that around with great special effects, especially for its monsters. if you’re looking forward to the monsters, trust me, you won’t be disappointed. The iconic Leshen is one of them (this isn’t a spoiler, it’s in all the trailers and promotional material), but there are others that you won’t expect.
The Witcher 2.0

The Witcher Season 2 finally feels like it’s fulfilling the full potential of its source material. There’s more of a sense of urgency in the story that wasn’t present in Season 1, and it’s made all the better for it. If you were thinking of dropping The Witcher after watching Season 1, you should definitely give Season 2 a try first.
Final Score: 80/100
We attended an early screener of the first five episodes of The Witcher Season 2 courtesy of Netflix Malaysia. The Witcher Season 2 is slated to premiere on 17 December 2021.


Stormgate Is Bringing Real-Time Strategy Goodness Back For 2023

Frost Giant Studios is not a game company name you hear too often, but its pedigree is huge. The company is made up of former Blizzard staff who worked on StarCraft 2 and WarCraft 3, two of the most influential real-time strategy games in the realm of PC gaming. And now the team is planning to bring the RTS genre back to its glory days with its new game: Stormgate.

Stormgate is a top-down real-time strategy that hits all the late 90s/2000s notes: the top-down perspective and familiar-yet-sleek UI for base-building and unit-churning, different factions fighting each other through real-time strategy combat, a cool world with a distinct art style that isn’t too cluttered, and a number of features that is reminiscent of Blizzard’s past glory games. These include focus on user generated content, competitive play (2v2), a 3vE co-op game mode, and the game being built for esports from the ground-up. Aesthetics-wise, it’s sci-fi meets demons from Hell. Like Doom, but more hopeful and saturated, as well as less gorey and grimey.
It’s also going to be a free-to-play game, but done in a fair manner.

The game’s main hook is to carry forward the feel of Blizzard RTS titles, but in a completely new universe and a slew of new features made for this generation of PC gaming. Here are the game’s core features:

A Science Fantasy Story for the Ages: Stormgate is set on a post-apocalyptic Earth, hundreds of years in our future. The epic conflict between the human peacekeepers and the Infernal
host will unfold as new campaign chapters are released. In-game events will include balance changes, new units, cosmetic content, and new esports seasons.
Only Two Races? Nah, we’re just getting started! In addition to the mech-riding human resistance and the demonic Infernal host, one (or more?) other factions will enter the fray. The two factions are the Human Resistance and the Infernals.
Powered by SnowPlay: An RTS can’t be great if it doesn’t feel great to play. SnowPlay, a custom-developed simulation technology, ensures that Stormgate players will enjoy crisp, responsive gameplay with smart pathfinding and rewarding unit control.
 Built in Unreal Engine 5: Stormgate will feature HD visuals in 4K and support hundreds of units engaged in epic no-holds-barred battles across a wide variety of maps and tilesets.
Next-Generation Esports: In addition to traditional high skill ladder matchmaking, competitive tournaments will be accessible directly from within the game, ranging from the local grassroots level all the way up to professional esports.
The First Truly Social RTS: Stormgate will feature several ways to play with friends, including a 3vE co-op game mode, where three players band together to take on increasingly
challenging AI opponents. This mode will feature meta progression, unique and powerful leader characters, and ways to customize your army’s capabilities.
The Editor: The in-game Editor empowers UGC creators with the same tools Frost Giant is using, in a creator-friendly ecosystem where creativity and effort will be rewarded.

Stormgate’s beta test period will start in 2023. Right now, it’s slated just for PC (via Steam).


The Best & Funniest Marvel’s Spider-Man PC Mods

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is out now on PC via Steam.
In the meantime, check out our review of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PC by heading over here.
Check out some Marvel’s Spider-Man mods below:
Uncle’s Ben Gravestone

Morbid, but definitely hilarious. RIP Uncle Ben.
Head over here for the link to the mode.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Suit

Anyone who knows me on Twitter knows how much I loved The Amazing Spider-Man 2, especially its suit.
Head over here for the link to the mode.
Kermit Suit

This is the one that became a meme.
Head over here for the link to the mode.
CJ Mod

Ah, shit, here we go again.
Head over here for the link to the mode.
Kingpin Mod

Play as the Kingpin of crime.
Head over here for the link to the mode.
Stan Lee Mod

We miss you, Stan Lee.
Head over here for the link to the mode.
Unmasked Mod

If for some reason, you want to go unmasked.
Head over here for the link to the mode.
Pepsiman Mod

Remember Pepsiman? We’re old.
Head over here for the link to the mode.


Zack Snyder’s Justice League Justice Is Gray Premieres On HBO GO Tomorrow

The black and white version ofÂ Zack Snyderâ€™s Justice League: Justice Is GrayÂ premieres exclusively onÂ HBO GO from 2 April 2021.
Fans will have the choice to stream or download Justice League Snyder Cut in black and white or full colour. In addition, there are also these limited edition Justice League collectibles and DC branded merchandise for them to look forward to:

Territory
Licensee
Description

Malaysia
Royal Selangor
Royal Selangor presents DCâ€™s greatest characters, representing some of the most iconic in the entire superhero pantheon. Leading the league with Superman Action Comics #1 figurine that pay homage and brings the first Superman comic book cover to spectacular three-dimensional life, Batman Shogun collection (in collaboration with XM Studios), Batman 80th Classic Batmobile Replica, and much more. Wonder Woman figurine will also join the line up in May, follow-up by a new Batman figurine in June!
Shop DC collections atÂ https://my.royalselangor.com/dc

A&S
A&S is Malaysiaâ€™s leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of innovative consumer electronic products, offers fans of the hit series stylish audio equipment, home appliances for the iconic Justice League. https://www.aandss.com/dcspecial.html

Arch Collection
ARCH is proud to officially collaborate with DC Comics â€œJustice Leagueâ€ collectibles. Each character is artistically captured through a finely cut wood veneer. Designed to captivate the rustic texture and tone of the wood in beautiful contrast, these collectibles are hand-assembled to perfection. The final product is an authentic Born-in-Kuala Lumpur masterpiece.
https://www.archcollection.com/collections/collaborations

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).
You can also check out the rest of what’s coming to HBO GO in April 2021 in our picks and highlights here.


Overwatch 2 Is Finally Giving Everyone The Single-Player Campaign They’ve Always Wanted [Update]

Update: full gameplay via ohnickel below. You don’t want to miss it.
Update #2: added a simple infographic that makes comparisons between OW1 and OW2.

During the BlizzCon 2019 opening ceremony, Blizzard finally officially announced Overwatch 2, the sequel to 2016’s multiplayer arena shooter Overwatch. The upcoming game will finally be delving deeper into the extensive lore of the franchise that has been teased for the past few years with the introduction of story-based missions and a brand new PvE mode.

These Story Missions are cooperative missions where players will experience the advent of a new Overwatch as Winston, Tracer, and other members of the original Overwatch join forces with a new generation of heroes and go up against the omnic forces of Null Sector, uncover the motives behind the robotic armiesâ€™ attacks, and come face-to-face with rising new threats around the globe.

Besides that, Hero Missions will see players deployed across the globe in a highly-replayable PvE modeÂ where players can actually level up their favourite heroes and earn powerful customization options that supercharge their abilities in co-op play.
These include devastating combo attacks ala Chrono Trigger, such as altering Reinhardtâ€™s Fire Strike to ignite nearby enemies or modifying Tracerâ€™s Pulse Bomb to cause an explosive chain reaction.
Overwatch 2 will also feature:

Significant engine upgrades that support larger maps for co-op (PvE) play.
Wide variety of new enemies and factions.
New looks and visuals for every single existing hero.
Multiple new heroes such as the mysterious Sojourn (below) and Echo.
New maps and locations.
New PvP mode called Push, where two teams compete to make a robot literally push the mapâ€™s objective to their opponentâ€™s side.

Fans of 2016’s Overwatch will be glad to learn that accomplishments and cosmetic collections will carry over to Overwatch 2. If they still want to play the first game, they’ll still be able to engage in PvP online multiplayer against Overwatch 2 players, as well as play with the new heroes and maps from the sequel, without having to worry about being left out.
Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack said:

â€œWith Overwatch 2, weâ€™re building the cooperative, narrative-driven game experience that players have been asking for since the original and that weâ€™ve wanted to make for a long time.
Weâ€™re looking forward to telling the next chapter of this epic story in-game, and weâ€™re excited to give players a whole new kind of co-op experience built around progressing and customizing their favourite heroes, all while providing even more of everything they love about Overwatch today.â€

At the time of writing, Blizzard has yet to reveal a release date/window or even confirmed platforms for Overwatch 2. The most likely release date is sometime in 2020. In the meantime, check out the various Overwatch 2 trailers below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbMbZjhSJqo&w=560&h=315]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKXS_YA9s7E&w=560&h=315]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZl1yGUetjI&w=560&h=315]
And if you’re still confused, this chart from Archgunner should sort you out.


Street Fighter 6 Reveals Manon, Marisa, JP, And Dee Jay Gameplay: Game’s Coming 6th June

Capcom officially announced the release date of Street Fighter 6: 2nd June. Also, they released a new trailer featuring a cool 2v2 mode with new minigames.
Most importantly, they showed off new gameplay for returning character Dee Jay, and three brand new characters:

JP, an elderly gentleman with Psycho Powers and a trap-based fighting style. He puts stuff on-screen to corner and pressure foes.
Manon, a judo ballet hybrid fighter who has grapples and ballet-influenced moves to kick her opponent’s ass. She hails from France.
Marisa, a big MMA fighter with a Roman Gladiator fighting style. She hails from Italy.

Check out each character’s description below:
Dee Jay

As a returning character in the series, Dee Jay retains his trademark moves that will get you in the rhythm such as Air Slasher, Double Rolling Sobat, Machine Gun Upper, and Jackknife Maximum. His new move Jus Cool is a retreating sway that can lead into kicking attacks or forward-moving maneuvers that will test his opponent’s tempo. Dee Jay’s Level 3 Super Art is Weekend Pleasure, a barrage of punches reminiscent of his Ultra Combo II in Ultra Street Fighter IV.
Manon

Manon’s move set is a graceful union between judo grappling and classical ballet. The elegant Manège Doré and Renversé are grabs that will increase Manon’s medal level upon successful completion. The higher her medal level, the more each grab’s properties will change. Manon performs the Pas de Deux in her Level 3 Super Art as if her opponent is her dance partner before smashing them into the ground for a standing ovation.
Marisa

A powerhouse of a character, Marisa utilizes her long limbs to unleash slow yet gargantuan strikes. Marisa can use Gladius, a devastating straight punch that can be wound up for extra damage. Scutum is a defensive stance that gives her upper body armor and counters an opponent’s attack. Use Quadriga, a powerful front kick to show opponents that “This. Is. Marisa!” Her Level 3 Super Art channels the Goddess of the Hunt into an almighty tackle straight into a wall.
JP

JP takes control of the entire map from all angles. He uses Departure, placing a void of power in the air, which can then be turned into thorns or can be used to teleport him to its location. JP can also send out clones from across the screen with Torbalan or Embrace to keep his opponents in check. Interdiction is JP’s Level 3 Super Art where he sends destructive power flowing through his opponent’s veins before they explode from within.
Check out the gameplay below.


Is Capcom Cup 2019 As Terrible As People Make It Out To Be? [Update]

Like we’ve said countless times, organizing a large-scale event is a lot of hard work, be it a tournament or a game expo. Having said that, most organizers would have their events and setups down to a science, especially if it’s something as renowned as the premier event for your beloved fighting game franchise. And if said game is as divisive as Street Fighter V.
The team who handled the logistics of this year’s Capcom Pro Tour in Los Angeles certainly didn’t get the memo, because a lot of people are complaining about it. First, Capcom announced that the Last Chance Qualifiers tournament was not going to be streamed to the dismay of fans online. SF producer Yoshinori Ono issued an apology regarding this.
Second, a number of tournament fighters have complained about lag on the tournament setups. Instead of sorting out the monitors to ensure a fair match, the staff told some competitors to move on.

THE SETUP FOR CAPCOM CUP LOSER LUL pic.twitter.com/51pWhYaith
— Olivier Hay (@Louffy086) December 14, 2019

what now @CapcomFighters ?? I complained in my first match about lag and the staff just told me to move on. I'm really sad about it
— ZENITH ? (@elphael) December 15, 2019

This happened about an hour ago
They had to stop midset cause of laggy setup. Other players complained about it too but this when they were heard pic.twitter.com/xexx0sRrXK
— Proud dad ?? (@0_El_Flako_0) December 15, 2019

Unfortunately, because of the logistics and set up, Capcom Cup LCQ will not be streamed. It is being recorded and there will be an update as part of the production. Matches will be uploaded later.
Saturday is Top 32 to Top 16 plus SFL
Sunday is Top 16#CapcomCup2019
— Mike (@bizarro_mike) December 12, 2019

Im happy idom won but I’m sad I lost cause P2 side is so laggy and I was just dropping everything
— Panda | Punk (@PunkDaGod) December 16, 2019

And that’s not even accounting the production blunders during the actual stream.

Naturally, some folks in the esports circuit are crying foul over these blunders.

this years Capcom Cup finals for what is essentially the Street Fighter world championships is an utter embarrassment. not streaming the LCQ or main event games, laggy monitors, awful production
whoever's fault this is needs to be fired. this is why the fgc doesn't like esports
— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) December 15, 2019

You know you’ve done effed up when you have even one of the biggest advocators of the scene calling Capcom out. Hopefully, the company can turn things around in the top 16 of the Capcom Pro Tour tournament. It isn’t over until it’s over, right?
Watch the stream here.
Update: Capcom has issued an official apology regarding its production issues of the event.

“We would like to thank all our players, talent, and fans that joined us for Capcom Cup 2019,” said the released statement. “The level of competition this year was nothing short of astounding.
The team is aware of the production issues and specifically, problems with the matches displayed on the feed. Your voices have been heard and we’ll be working through the off season to make the necessary changes for 2020. Thank you for your support and love of Street Fighter.”


That Story-Driven Sherlock Holmes Game Launches This November

Frogwares has announced that Sherlock Holmes Chapter One will launch for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam,Â Epic Games Store, andÂ GOG on 16 November 2021.
Meanwhile, the PS4 and Xbox One versions will launch a few weeks later, according to the developer, but there’s no definite release date yet.
Before he was the worldâ€™s greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes was a brilliant rebel itching to prove himself. When an old wound compels him back to the Mediterranean shore where his mother died, it seems like the perfect opportunity to do just thatâ€”but beneath the vibrant urban veneer of the island, the rhythm of island life strikes a more ominous beat. Crime and corruption, a twisted sense of justice and moralityâ€¦ These are just a few stumbling blocks in Sherlockâ€™s quest for truth.
As Sherlock, your legacy is written by the decisions you make in this open-world detective adventure. Deception, violence, and deduction are just a few resources in your arsenalâ€”your mysterious companion and sounding board, Jon, is another.
Whether you choose brute force to solve problems or stay one step ahead of your enemies by using your wits to spot vulnerabilities, you decide what each situation demands as you hone your investigative skills. Itâ€™s time to confront your past so you can become the legend youâ€™re destined to be.
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One Key Features

The Man BeforeÂ â€“ As a cavalier young Sherlock on the precipice of adulthood, youâ€™ll earn your reputation in a way no game or story has explored before. Weâ€™ve never seen the youthful arrogance and naivetÃ© of the man before the legendâ€”now youâ€™re living it.
Global Investigation â€“ You never know where your next clue will come from. Explore and exploit the entire city in your pursuit of truth, using clues, rumours, disguises, tags, and pinned evidence to build a solid case within your mind palace.
And Stay DownÂ â€“ Weapons might help you in a pinch, but thereâ€™s something to be said for styleâ€”and you have it in spades. Spot enemy vulnerabilities with your brilliant observation skills, or exploit the environment to take someone down while keeping your own hands clean.
A Different JonÂ â€“ Before John Watson, there was a different Jon â€“ your best and only friend. But who is he, really?
A Darkening TideÂ â€“ Set in the 19th century, the vibrant island in the Mediterranean promises anything but paradise. Political corruption and crime run rampant while the islanders cling to tradition and eschew outsiders, making your job even more difficult.
Truth and LiesÂ â€“ There are two sides to every story, and the proud islanders have their own ideas about truth and justice. Itâ€™s up to you to decide whether uncovering the truth will do more harm than goodâ€”and how that will shape the man youâ€™ll become.

In the meantime, check out the trailers below:


Henry Cavill Explains Difference Between Warcraft & Warhammer On TV

Who is Henry Cavill? He was Superman in the DCEU, Napoleon Solo from The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015), and he is Geralt of Rivia in Netflixâ€™s The Witcher, but he’s also a gamer and a geek.
In an interview on The Graham Norton Show to promote The Witcher Season 2, Henry pointed out the difference between World Of Warcraft and Warhammer.
It all started when Norton asked Cavill;Â “You paint, is it Warâ€¦ World of Warcraft?”
This prompted Cavill to reply:
“There’s the painting/modelling side of the hobby, and then there’s the gaming side of the hobby. Then you, erm, you put them together in little armies and you fight against someone else’s army.
It’s actuallyâ€”it is fun! It sounds ridiculous, but it is fun.”
You can watch the clip of them talking about it below:

You can also head on over here to read about the time when Henry Cavill became an easter egg in Total War Warhammer 2.
The Witcher Season 2 premieres on Netflix on 17 December 2021.


Battlefield 2042 Brings Us Back To The Future This October

EA has officially announced Battlefield 2042, which will be the next entry in the long-running FPS franchise.
The game is set in 2042, where extreme weather events and resource conflicts have shifted the balance of global power. The United States and Russia stand at the brink of war, while a mix of non-patriated combat veterans forms independent groups known as Task Forces.
The game will feature Conquest and Breakthrough modes with up to 128 players (on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC) and 64 players on PS4 and Xbox One. The all-new Hazard Zone will be a thrilling new addition to the franchise. There will also be seven massive maps, dynamic events and storms, as well as seasons with Battle Passes.

In the months leading up to launch, EA will host an Open Beta available to all players across all platforms. If you pre-order any of the editions of Battlefield 2042, you will get early access to the Open Beta.
Battlefield 2042 is slated to launch for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on 22 October 2021. The first look at gameplay will be unveiled on 13 June 2021.
In the meantime, check out the official cinematic trailer below. As for single-player campaigns, well….


Hearthstone Invites Players To Its Masquerade Ball Event

Blizzard has announced Hearthstone‘s newest in-game event, the Masquerade Ball.
 The Tavern will undergo a makeover for the Masquerade Ball limited-time event and will feature brand new content (unlocking weekly) which includes Tavern Brawls, the return of Dual-Class Arena, a new Hearthstone Book of HeroesÂ solo experienceÂ and more.
Battlegrounds New Minion Type – Elementals (30 SeptemberÂ 2020, GMT+8)

Starting from 30 September 2020, players will be able to recruit and wield the awesome power of Elementals in Battlegrounds. This Battlegrounds update will bring four new Heroes, 16 new minions, a new progression system, and a ratings reset.
Dual-Class Arena Returns (30 SeptemberÂ 2020, GMT+8)

All players will be givenÂ one free Arena ticketÂ to celebrate the return of Dual-Class Arena. In the Masquerade Ball’s Dual-Class Arena, you’ll choose a Hero before choosing a Hero Power from a different class.
Card offerings will be from both classes in addition to neutral cards. Mix and match for unique combos in Hearthstone but it’s important to note that Dual-Class Arena is only playable during the Masquerade Ball event.
Tavern Brawls

Rise of the Zombeasts (SeptemberÂ 30, GMT+8)Â – Create an undead army filled with Zombeasts as Deathstalker Rexxar and his discounted Hero Power.
Masquerade Ball (October 8, GMT+8)Â – Everyone dons a costume at the Scholomance Academy Masquerade Ball. When a minion is played, it transforms into one that costs (2) more. When that minion dies, the original minion is revealed and rejoins the fight.
Boss Battle Royale (October 15, GMT+8)Â – Choose from 10 big bad bosses. Classes are tied to corresponding bosses such as Cenarius for Druid, Rotwing for Hunter, and Lich Baz’hial for Mage.
New Book Of Heroes: Rexxar – Solo Experience (14 October 2020, GMT+8)

Journey with the one and only Champion of the Horde, Rexxar, in his quest for true heroism. Book of Heroes: Rexxar is the second chapter in Hearthstone‘s Book of Heroes and is completelyÂ freeÂ to all players.Â
Defeating all eight bosses in this linear adventure will reward one Hunter Pack.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Space Game Chorus To Launch This December

If you need more sci-fi flight simulation titles to sate your thirst for space combat, you should keep an eye out for Chorus.
Published by Deep Silver and developed by Deep Silver Fishlabs, Chorus pits you in the shoes of Nara, who is being hunted as a fugitive. Her only method of defending herself? A badass spaceship that comes with powerful and distinct weapons that come with combat upgrades, a drift mechanic, and “mind-bending abilities”. We’re talking extra-sensory perception (ie: wallhack), teleportation, and telekinesis.
Check out the gameplay below. Chorus will be out for PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS5, and PS4 this 3rd December.


Former MCR Lead Gerard Way’s The Umbrella Academy Gets First Trailer

With less than a month to go until the launch of its first season, the first full trailer for Netflix‘s The Umbrella Academy has arrived. It looks just as strange and crazy as the comics it’s adapted from.
For those who don’t know, The Umbrella Academy is an Eisner award-winning comic book mini-series written by ex-My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way and drawn by Gabriel Ba. It features a dysfunctional family of superheroes similar to that of Marvelâ€™s X-Men or DC Comicsâ€™ Doom Patrol (which Gerard cites as one of his main inspirations).
From the trailer, it looks like the upcoming Netflix series will adapt from the first two volumes of The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite and Dallas. That means not only will the protagonists have to face the impending threat of the end of the world, but also a cabal of time-policing assassins. Things will get insane, as only Gerard Way could have dreamt of.
Netflixâ€™s The Umbrella Academy boasts an all-star cast including:

Ellen Page as Vanya Hargreeves / The White Violin, a violinist with no superpowers but is an expert on the violin
Tom Hopper as Luther Hargreeves / Spaceboy, a former astronaut with super strength whose body is that of a Martian Ape
Robert Sheehan as Klaus Hargreeves / The SÃ©ance, a slacker with telekinesis and the ability to communicate with the dead
Emmy Raver-Lampman as Allison Hargreeves / The Rumor, a tomboy with the ability to manipulate reality by lying
David CastaÃ±eda as Diego Hargreeves / The Kraken, a rebellious troublemaker with enhanced breath holding and gifted knife-throwing techniques
Aidan Gallagher as Number Five / The Boy, an unnamed child/adult who can time travel
Mary J. Blige as Cha-Cha, a Neo-Nazi criminal. Unlike the comics, the character is female
Cameron Britton as Hazel, Cha-Chaâ€™s partner
Colm Feore as Sir Reginald Hargreeves / The Monocle, an alien masquerading as a human billionaire industrialist
Adam Godley as Pogo, a chimpanzee and Reginaldâ€™s closest assistant.
John Magaro as Leonard Peabody

The Umbrella Academy is slated to launch on 15 February 2019. Check out the first full trailer below, featuring an exclusive song cover of ‘Hazy Shade of Winter’ performed by Gerard Way himself and ex-My Chemical Romance lead guitarist Ray Toro.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfvahO9rw1A&w=560&h=315]


Nintendo Switch OLED Version Officially Announced

Nintendo has officially announced the Nintendo Switch (OLED model). It will launch on 8 October 2021 for the price of US$349.99.
According to the official website, the new system features a vibrant 7-inch OLED screen, a wide adjustable stand, a dock with a wired LAN port, 64 GB of internal storage, and enhanced audio.

Nintendo Switch (OLED model) will let players experience enhancements in all three play modes:
TV mode: Set the Nintendo Switch (OLED model) system into the dock to play Nintendo Switch games on the TV. By using the built-in wired LAN port, players can enjoy another way to connect online in TV mode.
Tabletop mode: Flip the stand on the back of the system and use the systemâ€™s screen to play multiplayer games using two Joy-Con controllers right out of the box. A wide adjustable stand makes for a solid and sturdy foundation. It allows players to freely tilt the system and adjust the viewing angle, so it makes it easier to see the screen.
Handheld mode: Players can bring the system wherever they go in handheld mode and play local* or online** multiplayer with friends. The systemâ€™s 7-inch OLED screen provides vivid colour and crisp contrast.
When the system launches, it will come in two colour options:

Nintendo Switch (OLED model) white set, which features white Joy-Con controllers, a black main unit and a white dock.
Nintendo Switch (OLED model) neon red/neon blue set, which features neon red and neon blue Joy-Con controllers, a black main unit and a black dock.

Since the Nintendo Switch OLED model will be launching at the price of US$349.99, we should expect the updated hybrid console to fetch a price that’s around RM1700-RM2000 in Malaysia, considering that there’s no local regional support. All in all, this is a pretty disappointing announcement from Nintendo.
The Nintendo Switch OLED model doesn’t have any major internal hardware changes that affect performance, so it will still play the same games as the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch Lite. It only has a better screen and bigger storage, as well as other minor improvements like better audio. Most of that is mostly moot anyway if you mainly play connected to a TV.
The Nintendo Switch OLED model has the same battery as the standard (enhanced) Nintendo Switch. The battery is said to last approximately 5.5 hours for The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, which is exactly the same as the standard model.
This article is being updated with new information as it arrives.


DC FanDome: Black Adam Teaser Offers First Look

Warner Bros Pictures has released a new teaser for Black Adam during DC FanDome 2021.
The new teaser reveals the opening scene introducing the titular Black Adam as portrayed by The Rock in the upcoming movie.
Black Adam will premiere on 29 July 2022.
Check out the teaser below:

Ladies & gents…Enjoy your WORLD EXCLUSIVE first look??
He is ruthless.He is unstoppable.He is the reason the hierarchy of power in the DC UNIVERSE is about to change.
He is #BLACKADAM
The Man in Black has come around…#DCFanDome@SevenBucksProd@flynnpictureco pic.twitter.com/nv4oRmaLlq
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) October 16, 2021


Xbox Game Pass Adds Control, Slime Rancher, Greedfall, & More This December

Remember when we said that Xbox Game Pass will be getting its last few Gold titles for the year? They’ll be sweetening that already-lucrative pot with even more free games for the month. How does Remedy’s latest sound?
That’s right: Control will be available to play on Xbox Game Pass on Xbox consoles and PC this early December. We labelled Control as one of our top picks of 2019, so you should play the heck out of it when you can.
Other titles include:

Slime Rancher
Greedfall
Monster Sanctuary
Doom Eternal
Haven
Rage 2
Va-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
Yes, Your Grace
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition
Call of the Sea
Starbound
Unto The End
Assetto Corsa
Gang Beats
Superhot Mind Control Delete
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

I’m personally looking forward to checking out Control, Haven, Doom Eternal again, and Greedfall. How about you? Let us know on the comments below!


London Spitfire’s Profit Fined for Flippin’ the Bird

London Spitfire’s DPS,Â Junyoung â€œProfitâ€ ParkÂ  has been fined $1,000 by the Overwatch League after getting caught flipping the bird at the camera during his team’s match against San Francisco Shock. As he prepared after being subbed in, he playfully flipped the middle finger to the camera – albeit intentionally to his team’s audio guy while totally unaware it’s being streamed to the viewers.

Malicious or not, he was caught on camera and has been rightfully fined. Founder and CEO of Cloud9 and London Spitfire, Jack Etienne has taken to Twitter to comment on the fine and his organization’s stand.

The league has fined @PROFIT_OWL $1000 for breaking a league rule regarding obscene gestures on camera. All parties understand these actions were not made in malice nor intended to be on broadcast but the rules are clear. @Spitfire will not be contesting the ruling. pic.twitter.com/sQVGFRNA4E
â€” Jack Etienne (@JackEtienne) January 25, 2018
Profit also took it to Twitter to comment on it, and apologize for his conduct:

Meanwhile, resident bad-boy – Dallas Fuel’s Felix ‘xQc’ Lengyel was on it again, commenting on Profit’s apology with the following tweet:

“deeply reflect” for 3 hours then back on the field ðŸ¤”
â€” xQc (@xQc) January 26, 2018
No stranger to bans and fines, Lengyel is pretty much the expert on breaking codes of conduct but it’s quite off seeing him openly throwing fellow players under the bus, while totally realizing that such situation could have befallen on anyone including himself. Having been banned for the rest of the season following his homophobic slur aimed at Houston Outlaws’ Muma, he’s better off training and keeping his attitude in check rather than lording over others.


World Of Warcraft’s Shadowlands Expansion Sends You To Azeroth’s Afterlife

During the BlizzCon 2019 opening ceremony, Blizzard announced the Shadowlands, the next expansion for the long-running MMO World Of Warcraft (WoW).
The World Of Warcraft Shadowlands cinematic trailer depicts Sylvanas Windrunner forcefully claiming the crown of the Lich King from Bolvar Fordragon after an epic and earth-shattering battle. Instead of wearing the crown, Sylvanas surprisingly broke it into, tearing apart reality and opening a wormhole to Shadowlands (the land of the afterlife) in the process.

Shadowlands will introduce a brand new gameplay mechanic called the Covenant system, where players will be able to align themselves with one of several Covenants who hold domain over different planes within the ShadowlandsÂ :

The steadfastÂ KyrianÂ of Bastion,Â whose discipline and duty compels them to safeguard souls from the mortal realm as they pass into the Shadowlands.
The mysteriousÂ NightÂ FaeÂ of Ardenweald,Â who fiercely defend the spirits of nature from those who would deprive them of rebirth.
The cunningÂ VenthyrÂ of Revendreth,Â who feast on the souls of the prideful and vain in a gothic realm of opulence and torment.
The warlikeÂ NecrolordsÂ of Maldraxxus,Â who forge the undead armies that serve as the first line of defence for the Shadowlands and honour those who seek power and glory in battle.

With the new Covenant system, players will be able to gain new class-specific abilities for each Covenant and the ability to develop SoulbindsÂ with specific Covenant members, granting them access to that characterâ€™s specific traits and bonuses.

World Of Warcraft Shadowlands will also feature:

Five explorable new zones within Shadowlands: The gleaming fields ofÂ Bastion,Â the scarred battlefields ofÂ Maldraxxus, the eternal twilight ofÂ Ardenweald, the opulent keeps ofÂ Revendreth,Â and theÂ horrificÂ Maw.
Ascend the Tower of the Damned:Â At the heart of the Maw liesÂ Torghast, Tower of the Damned,Â a cursed otherworldly prison where the wickedest souls in the universe are locked away. Highly replayable and inspired by roguelike games, heroes are invited to explore its ever-changing halls and chambers and do battle with the minions ofÂ theÂ Jailer,Â Torghastâ€™s vile ruler.
A new levelling system:Â Meant to provide a meaningful sense of advancement with every level achieved.Â Current max-level characters will beginÂ ShadowlandsÂ at level 50 and work toward the new level cap of 60.
A New Army of the Dead Rises:Â WithÂ Shadowlands, Pandaren and all allied races will now be able to become Death Knights.
Improved Character Customization Options:Â A host of new appearance options for all races will be made available to players when they create newÂ World of WarcraftÂ characters (or alter existing ones at the in-game barbershop).

World Of Warcraft Shadowlands is already available for pre-purchase digitally from the Blizzard Shop starting today. There will be three different options, including:

The Base Edition (US$39.99)
The Heroic Edition ($59.99): Includes the expansion; a level-120 character boost; and the Ensorcelled Everwyrm mount, which provides access to a questline through which players can earn the Vestments of the Eternal Traveler transmogrification set.
The Epic Edition ($79.99): Includes the Anima Wyrmling pet; the Wraithchill cosmetic weapon effect; the Eternal Travelerâ€™s Hearthstone, designed with a unique visual effect; and 30 days of game time, in addition to all of the contents from the Heroic Edition.

All bonuses from the Heroic and Epic Editions are unlocked immediately upon pre-purchase. In addition, pre-purchasing any edition of World of Warcraft: ShadowlandsÂ will allow players to create Pandaren and allied race Death Knights once the Visions of Nâ€™Zoth content update for Battle for Azeroth arrives in the coming months.
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is slated to release on (or potentially before) 31 December 2020. In the meantime, check out the cinematic and feature trailers below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4gBChg6AII&w=560&h=315]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QInBVzBJuU4&w=560&h=315]


Overwatch League Pro, xQc Banned For Throwing (Again)

He’s at it again.
Dallas Fuel’s French-Canadian Tank Main,Â FÃ©lixÂ “xQc”Â Lengyel found himself at the wrong end (again) of the ban hammer yesterday after reportedly throwing his games while on competitive mode. The suspension this time around will be til next Monday as per his Tweets and claimed that he aims to circumvent the ban by playing on his alternate smurf account.

Just so everyone is on the same page, I will be playing on my alt account (smurf) for the next 7 days. The main account is suspended. The stream does NOT stop, never will. <3 pic.twitter.com/qLpNgylQHy
â€” xQc (@xQc) December 16, 2017
From what we gather on Reddit, xQc was found to be actively throwing his matches on competitive mode. While it wasn’t shown live via his own streams, his acts were caught by other streamers who were streaming at that time. One such example can be seen here, via Los Angeles Valiant’s Agilities‘ stream:
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=NurturingRudeTaroAMPEnergyCherry&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
As if that wasn’t enough, xQc seems to be demanding an apology from London Spitfire’s DPS main,Â Dong-jun “Rascal” Kim for reporting him. Clips of RascalÂ reporting xQc in his stream has been making its rounds. Point to consider here was that Rascal was on his opposing team during the game.
https://clips.twitch.tv/embed?clip=NastySparklingKumquatWOOP&autoplay=false&tt_medium=clips_embed
In typical xQc fashion, Felix responded to the video above by saying that he would accept Rascal’s ‘apology’ will re-add him to his friends list if he stopped losing to “s**t-tier teams” – a thinly-veiled jab at London Spitfire’s shock loss to Boston Uprising at the Overwatch League pre-season match we’d presume. Salty? Of course. Immature? Yes indeed.
We now wait for the Overwatch League’s next move in relation to this; whether further action will be taken or will they just leave the situation to die down on its own. These OWL players are the competitive sort, and no doubt, are also target of online harassers which will cause anyone to tilt. However being a contestant in the highest level of competitive Overwatch requires xQc to act in a much more matured manner. These players have a professional standard expected of them – just like any pro athletes and if he is unable to adhere to it, then possibly it Dallas Fuel needs to rethink their recruitment strategy.Â  Not only is this repeated offense bring bad press to the inaugural season, but to the Fuel brand as a whole. We will update you if anything new crops up.


Diablo 2: Resurrected Shines When You Start Using Its New Features

Platforms: PC (version reviewed), PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre: Action RPG brought back from the 2000s era
Diablo 2, as well as its expansion Lords of Destruction, is the most influential and most-packed action RPG for the PC back in the day. But to bring it back in its original form, quirks and all (from its punishing learning curve to potions-heavy gameplay), is not going to make current action RPG players see the value in its heritage.
Diablo 2: Resurrected, the remaster of the 2000-era action RPG classic, is basically the remedy that solves the conundrum of bringing new players into the granddaddy of all action RPGs. How does it do so? By dressing it up with 3D graphics made for a lovely-looking isometric action RPG complete with spectacular pyrotechnics and flashy particles from your characters. Whether it’s your Druid’s Molten Rock and Fissure spells wombo-combo to the Assassin’s sentries and traps AoE fiesta, you’ll have a blast killing demons and the Prime Evil’s Sanctuary-invading hordes in this new coat of paint, now looking like their devilishly Sunday best.
Another lovely addition to the remaster is controller support: it’s pretty much flawless. Granted, Blizzard took cues from past action RPGs that were made for consoles dating back to the late 2000s onward (like the X-Men action RPG games and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance series), but it works here. You have full control over your character instead of using a mouse pointer to direct them, which means you can move them around flawlessly through obstacles, enemies, and projectiles that can probably one-hit kill you in Hell difficulty.

Mapping skills to your face buttons and using potion hotkeys via d-pad is painless and they work really well after getting used to it in less than 5 minutes. Most players only need up to 4 skills to spam throughout the four major Acts and their respective escalating difficulties, so the controller serves that well be it the Nintendo Switch, the PS4 DualShock, or the Xbox gamepad. Blizzard did a bang-up job in making controller support painless as possible, to the point where I don’t really use the keyboard-mouse setup anymore for Diablo 2. Never thought I’d say that to a former PC-only title that the master race champions.
Despite these improvements, Diablo 2 is still the same 2000s game you loved and eventually tolerated for its “old-school mentality”. The difficulty curve from the start if you’re soloing, the potions-heavy gameplay if you’re not sure what you’re doing, the Stamina bar limitations, the overall slow pace, and enemies being able to gang up on you and killing you in quick time. And then there’s difficulty walls like Duriel, whom you’ll need seasoned veterans to help you out. Of course, these are old gameplay designs that preserve Diablo 2’s nature and classic status in the first place; to change that would piss off a lot of people.
I’m just happy that it’s now possible to relive the highs and lows in fresh makeup and on a controller. At the same time, the source material is enhanced while being treated with utmost respect and care in terms of preservation. Warcraft III: Reforged this ain’t.
The Devil You Know

Other minute-yet-welcome changes include smooth transitions between new school and Legacy mode with the press of the G key, respeccing made easy since you’ll be doing that a lot, remade cutscenes, and having your corpse teleport back to your last-visited camp/town hub if your game accidentally disconnects or if you happen to quit out of the blue. The latter means your items will not be lost in the abyss of the internet.
It’s also nice that the game addresses all the issues I brought up during the game’s beta state; clearly Blizzard has been on the ball in improving the netcode and offering offline character options just like in the old days. And also allowing players to bring their old D2 save files onto the Remastered edition. While it does suck that there’s no LAN play option, Battle.net has proven itself to be the most stable servers around if Diablo 3 (post-Reaper of Souls, of course) and all the WoW games are of any indication.
Should you buy Diablo 2: Resurrected and give this old-school action RPG a go? Yes you should, because this is the definitive version of the game, thanks to the redone graphics and lovely controller support that really feels so intuitive and natural. Regardless of how you feel about Blizzard right now, a lot of hard-working developers have put all their time and effort into polishing up an antique to make it an elevated cultural treasure that even zoomers can jump into without whining about its “old-schoolness”.
If you can’t get behind that, there’s always Diablo 3 and Path of Exile.
Final Score: 70/100
Review copy provided by Blizzard.


The Clown Prince Of Crime Rises In The First Joker Trailer

Just when everyone is still riding on the euphoria of how good Shazam! is, Warner Bros Pictures unexpectedly hits us with the first teaser trailer for the Todd Phillips’ upcoming standalone Joker movie.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t433PEQGErc&w=560&h=315]
The Joker movie will attempt to explore the Joker‘s origins, starring award-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, the man who is destined to become the Clown Prince of Crime.
The trailer begins by showing us by establishing that he’s close with his mother and that the spiraling chaos of Gotham City will plunge him deeper into madness. We see a glimpse of Deadpool 2 star Zazie Beetz‘s mysterious character, Sophie Dumond, who is supposed to be Fleck’s love interest.
Sophie Dumond (Zazie Beetz)
Besides that, we also get to see Brett Cullen‘s Thomas Wayne, who is running for mayor of Gotham. This version of him seems to be more ruthless and less of the traditional good guy we’re used to in other incarnation (both movies and comics).
Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen)
Speaking of the Waynes, here’sÂ Dante Pereira-Olson‘sÂ much younger Bruce Wayne being forced into a creepy smile by Fleck.
Bruce Wayne (Dante Pereira-Olson)
Keep in mind that the Joker movie is meant to be standalone and separate from the DCEU (of which 2017’s Justice League, Aquaman, and Shazam are all a part of). A cinematic “Elseworlds” story, if you will.
From the looks of the trailer, I like what I see and hear so far, with its unique tone and atmosphere. Despite that, I still feel a bit apprehensive. There’s a reason why even the source material seldom explores the Joker‘s origin, with rare notable exceptions like Alan Moore’s iconic The Killing Joke.
The Killing Joke, anyone?
If the scene above is any indication, then it certainly seems like the Joker movie may be more heavily inspired by The Killing Joke than I thought. In Moore’s origin story, the Joker is a failed stand-up comedian who turns to a life of crime to support his family.
I’m reserving my judgment but so far the Joker movie seems like it’s going to be a game-changer. Joker is slated to release on 4 October 2019.


The Magic Rain’s Cosplay Computer 2020 Is Malaysia’s First Digital Live Stream Event

Who says you can’t still organize events during the Movement Control Order and self-quarantine phase? The Magic Rain is holding Malaysia’s first-ever online live stream cosplay event, and all you have to is stay at home to participate.
The Cosplay Computer 2020 event will take place this weekend on 2 and 3 May 2020, as internet denizens of all ages can take part by tuning in to The Magic Rainâ€™s official Facebook page from 10am to 6.30pm. Best of all, the event is free for everyone.
What awaits viewers is an entertaining and educational line-up, where they can interact with invited international and local guests, as well as participate in activities ranging from friendly games and karaoke sessions to workshops and panels.
Event Highlights
Games with Guests (ft. Mewriel, Kousuke, Tsuyu Sei, Puffie ãƒ‘ãƒ•ã‚£ãƒ¼ Coser, Rina Tan, Morimonä»™äººæŽŒ and Aliciasama è–‡è–‡)

This friendly showdown gives fans the chance to play games online with their favourite local and international cosplayers, featuring the popular party game, Drawful 2.Â
Group Video Call

Physically isolated, virtually connected. Get your daily dose of social interaction and exclusive online photo-op in a big group call the guests of the day!
Curry-ok Session with BoiledCurry. ã‚«ãƒ¬ãƒ¼ãƒ³

A familiar face from the Lion City is here to give us her best in this karaoke session. Warm your vocals and sing-along with her!Â
Contest For Viewers

Event Emcees

Cosplay MasterClassÂ
Cosers Confess (ft. Pudds, Rikka Blurhound, Papakei, Venus Lim)

Cosplay masters in the community will be there to help address any doubts, problems and questions viewers have regarding the local ACG (Animation, Comics, and Gaming) scene in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.

Skill Workshops (ft. Alifjam, Yennice Yan, Huei Chan, Ai Nurul and Pinatsu)

To be the best, youâ€™ve got to learn from the best. This is the best opportunity for viewers to be productive while staying at home by connecting with some of the best individuals in the ACG scene and pick up a skill or two.

Panels (ft. Ellemonade, King Rusydi, Venus Lim)

Understand the world of cosplay through the lens of Malaysiaâ€™s most passionate and experienced cosplayers as we interview them live.


Dune Part Two Gets New Poster Ahead Of New Trailer Tomorrow

Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that they will be releasing the first trailer for Dune Part Two, the sequel to 2021’s Dune Part One, on 12am GMT+8 on 4 May 2023.
To commemorate the occasion, they also released a new poster:

Timothee Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson are joined in the cast by fellow returning Dune Part One cast members Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Josh Brolin, as well as new additions Austin Butler, Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh, Souheila Yacoub, and Léa Seydoux.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune Part Two will explore “the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavours to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.”
In the meantime, check out my review of Dune Part One by heading over here. Dune is currently available to watch on the streaming platform HBO GO. There was also a recent early access launch of a pretty fun Dune game.
Dune Part Two will premiere on 3 November 2023.
Check out the teaser below:


Sonic Voice Actor Leaves Role After 10 Years

Roger Craig Smith, the voice actor for Sonic the Hedgehog for the past decade since 2010, has officially left the role.
It all began when Smith posted a tweet that implied he was leaving Sonic,Â  with an image of a Sonic-blue broken heart emoji attached. He wrote:
“Welp, 10 years was an amazing run. Onward to new zones! Much love to the fans who’ve been so kind. It’s been an honor.”

Earlier today, the official Sonic the Hedgehog Twitter account officially confirmed the news. They wrote:
“For over 10 years, Roger Craig Smith has been an integral part of the SEGA family,” Sega wrote. “He brought the voice of Sonic to life, and we are forever grateful for his never-ending enthusiasm in helping the community and spreading joy.”

For over 10 years, Roger Craig Smith has been an integral part of the SEGA family. He brought the voice of Sonic to life, and we are forever grateful for his never-ending enthusiasm in helping the community and spreading joy.
Thank you, Roger, for all you've done for Sonic.
— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) January 28, 2021

However, no official reason was given or provided for Smith’s departure from the iconic role. It’s curious that this is happening in 2021, which is the Sonic The Hedgehog franchise’s 30th anniversary. Perhaps Sega wants to mark the milestone with a brand new voice actor to kickstart a new generation of Sonic games? It’s possible.
Besides being the voice of Sonic for the last 10 years, Roger Craig Smith is also best known for voicing Ezio Auditore da Firenze in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Chris Redfield in the Resident Evil franchise, Kyle Crane in Dying Light, and many other roles in games, anime, TV series, and movies.
In the meantime, check out our review of 2020’s Sonic The Hedgehog movie.


SDCC 2018: The Best Toys We’ve Seen So Far

This news is still in development.
These next few days are going to be filled to the brim with pop culture news of various shapes and sizes; after all, it’s San Diego Comicon 2018 week. For now, we’ll be showcasing the hottest and most recent toys from the show floor.
Mondo Mecha Marvel Line
A new line of 12â€³ scale fully articulated action figures has been announced byÂ Mondo. The new figures will feature robotic versions of iconic characters as part of theÂ Mondo MechaÂ line up. The robots themselves will be based on classic mech designs from anime and manga.

The first wave will feature Marvel Comics heroes such as Black Panther, Captain America, and Spider-Man. They are rumoured to be priced at US$85 but so far there’s no confirmation from Mondo yet.
The DC Collectibles Line Aquaman Figures
Right now this is as close as you can get to seeing the movie versions of Aquaman, Black Manta, and Mera. Oh and we get to see Batman White Knight’s version of the Caped Crusader.

NECA’s New TMNT Late 80s Line
We do appreciate some old-school Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles representation in action figure form (pics via Toyark). We now get two versions: one collection that’s based on the late 80s film and the other based on the first cartoon show. Leatherhead, Slash, those two Dimension X soldiers in the first season of the earlier cartoon series; all that’s missing is a built-to-scale Technodrome.

Dungeons & Dragons Diorama from Iron Studios
It’s not like even the most stalwart fans of the 80s D&D cartoon wanted this, but damn if it doesn’t look a mite impressive. Hank, Sheila, Eric, Diana, Bobby, that unicorn baby, and Presto + Presto’s bewildered expression: they’re all here. Oh and the diminutive Dungeon Master too.
https://www.facebook.com/ironstudios/videos/1991738154171243/
These LEGO Pop Culture Statues (via Toy News International)
DC’s Aquaman, Voltron, Marvel’s Thanos: no one’s spared.

Hot Toys’ Latest Pop Culture Invasion
You can now add Battle Angel Alita and John Wick into the mix (via Toy News International).


Kraven The Hunter Movie Casts West Side Story Star As Calypso

The upcoming Kraven The Hunter movie from Sony Pictures and Marvel will be adding a recent SAG Awards winner into its cast.
Ariana DeBose, who stars in West Side Story as Anita, will be in Kraven The Hunter starring as Calypso according to sources at Deadline.
In Marvel lore, Calypso is a voodoo priestess who fights Spider-Man on occasion and also partners up with Kraven. As well as be his lover at times being that she’s an 80s and 90s comic book female villain. Just look at her artwork below and tell me she’s from a less flashy age of comics.

Kraven The Hunter stars Aaron Taylor Johnson as the title character. J.C Chandor is directing the picture with Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach handling the film’s production. It’ll be out 13 January 2023.


House Of The Dragon Sees Biggest HBO Finale Viewership Since Game Of Thrones Season 8 Finale

House Of The Dragon concluded its first season as the most-viewed title ever on HBO GO in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The Game Of Thrones prequel spinoff also reached 9.3 million viewers in the U.S. on Sunday night across all platforms, based on a combination of Nielsen and first-party data, despite heavy hitting competition from Sunday Night Football and the final game of the Major League Baseball ALCS between the NY Yankees and Houston Astros. That marks the biggest finale night for an HBO series since the conclusion of Game Of Thrones in May 2019.
House Of The Dragon debuted on Sunday, 21 August 2022 in the U.S., to the largest audience for any new original series in the history of HBO and the best series launch on HBO Max across the U.S., Latin America, and Europe. All episodes of the series are now averaging 29 million viewers in the U.S., more than tripling their average debut night audience with strong catch-up viewing.
For comparison, this is tracking closely behind the average audience for Season 7 of Game of Thrones, which averaged 32.8 million viewers per episode in the U.S.
“We’re so thrilled to see House of the Dragon catch fire with Game of Thrones fans around the world, as well as new viewers who are discovering the world of Westeros for the first time,” said Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO and HBO Max. “Congrats to George, Ryan, Miguel and the whole House of the Dragon team on an incredible first season.”
Game Of Thrones also continued to see elevated viewership as new episodes of House Of The Dragon debuted. The series saw month-over-month gains in viewership this summer leading up to the premiere of House Of The Dragon, culminating in its all-time highest weekly audience on HBO Max following the House Of The Dragon premiere.
Outside of the U.S., House Of The Dragon has surpassed Game Of Thrones Season 8, in Latin America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan on an HBO streaming service. (The series streams on HBO Max in 39 countries in Latin America, 21 countries across Europe and on HBO GO in SEA, HK and TW.)
The complete first season of House of the Dragon is now available to stream on HBO GO. You can subscribe online or through the mobile app via the App Store or Play Store for RM23.30 per month. You can also access HBO GO via Astro. HBO GO is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality. You can also download the app at App Store or Play Store and get a free trial today.
In the meantime, check out my spoiler-free review of House Of The Dragon Season 1 here.


Demon Slayer Movie Is Still Number 1 In Japan Thanks To Recent US$24 Million Box Office Gross

It’s already the third weekend of Japan cinema, and the Demon Slayer movie is still the top dog.
Demon Slayer â€“ Kimetsu no Yaiba â€“ The Movie: Mugen Train has garnered over 2.4 billion yen (US$24 million) during the past weekend while it was airing in Japanese cinema. Let’s break it down how significant this is:

The movie opened on 16th October in Japan and earned 4,623,117,450 yen (US$43.85 million) on its three-day debut.
Its opening day garnered over 1,268,724,700 yen (US$12.03 million).
The film has sold over 11 million tickets to earn a cumulative 15,799,365,450 yen (US$150 million).
The film is now ranked at number 10 among all movies that ever opened in Japan, including foreign films like James Cameron’s Avatar. That movie was bumped to number 11 with its 15.6 billion yen gross, which is about US$148 million by today’s conversion.

All in all, a good day for Kimetsu no Yaiba and shonen action fans. Stay tuned for our review of the movie in the near future when cinemas in Malaysia open up. Eventually.Â


Super MAGFest 2024 Dates Announced

One of the best video game festivals that blends gaming and music together like a beautiful hyper combo will be coming back again next year.
Super MAGFest 2024 will be returning to National Harbor, MD, in the USA from 18 January to 21 January; that’s a weekend’s worth of 24/7 gaming, partying, and music concert festivities combined. This time, the organizers are going for a Metroid Prime look and theme; the trailer video basically called this upcoming show Magfest Prime, after all.
“The biggest Music and Gaming Festival in the world returns to National Harbor, MD this January! That’s right, it’s time to arm your cannons, activate your scan visor, and prepare yourself for four days of non-stop music, gaming, and bounty hunting.
Join us in descending to the MAGLord IV (commonly known on Earth as the Gaylord National) this January 18th to 21st, and help us once again bring peace to the galaxy.”

More details about the event, guests, and headliner acts will be announced in the next few months, most likely closer to November and December 2023. Stay tuned to the website for more info. If it’s anything like the last few MAGFest events, expect great music, big hallways full of jam sessions and cosplayers, freeplay gaming and arcade areas that are open all day and night, and merch from respectable places like J!nx and Fangamer. It’s pricey, but worth it for a once-in-a-lifetime video game music community-driven event.
In the meantime, do check out our previous coverage of one of the MagFest events we have been to.


Marvel’s Avengers War Table Unveils MODOK, The Leader & The Super-Adaptoid

Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics’ Marvel’s Avengers War Table live stream presentation took place earlier today, and it revealed a lot of exciting new details about the upcoming game.
Marvel’s Avengers Thor Gameplay

The new Marvel’s Avengers gameplay trailer focuses on one of the Hero Missions in the game, which puts the spotlight on specific heroes in the single-player campaign. In this case, the mission’s name is Once An Avenger, featuring Thor who only just picked up his hammer Mjolnir again after having abandoned it ever since A-Day.
Players can string together light and heavy attacks for combos, as well as utilize the skills and abilities of the heroes they choose. For example, Thor has a Manual Targeting skill, allowing him to lock on to enemies and throw his hammer before having it return to him.
Charging the Heroic Meter will enable players to unleash one of three types of Heroic Moves, including Assault, Support and Ultimate. For instance, Thor’s Ultimate Heroic Move has him summoning the full might of the Bifrost Bridge come crashing down on enemies.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51g0W7RiKVM&w=560&h=315]
Marvel’s Avengers MODOK & Super-Adaptoid

Another important detail that the developer finally unveiled is the main antagonist of Marvel’s Avengers, who will be none other than M.O.D.O.K. (Mechanized Organism Designed Only For Killing) AKA George Tarleton. He is the leader of the evil organization, A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics). His powers and abilities include psionic powers (generating force fields and shooting lasers), and the fact that he is a genius.
We already know that MODOK and AIM will be the villains, but there was one other interesting villain who was also unveiled in the same trailer; the Super-Adaptoid. In the game, they’re called the Adaptoids, which is what they were originally called in the comics as well.
In the comics, there was only one Adaptoid created by AIM to defeat the Avengers. The android received the Super-Adaptoid moniker when it could replicate the powers, abilities and fighting skills of the Avengers. This makes it a formidable foe for the Avengers, and it looks like there’ll be more than one Adaptoid or Super-Adaptoid in Marvel’s Avengers.
The Super-Adaptoid in Marvel’s Avengers.
Last but not least, there’s also a glimpse of the iconic Hulk villain; The Leader. He can be seen in the car speaking Kalama Khan about how ‘dangerous’ the Avengers are.
That’s how The Leader looks like in Marvel’s Avengers.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjbq_1umM3k&w=560&h=315]
Marvel’s Avengers Co-op Elements & War Zone Missions

War Zone missions are expansive and explorable spaces loaded with side content including concealed caches to uncover, powerful enemies to defeat, AIM depots to take over, faction allies to rescue, and hidden loot to claim.
While there is a main objective in each War Zone Mission, it’s up to players how to approach them. If the mission objective is outdoors, for instance, the heroes can approach from any direction and tackle the challenge as they see fit.
Each War Zone Mission will display the difficulty and suggested Power Level before launching. Although difficulty can be adjusted, the higher the challenge, the bigger the rewards will be. Once players select a War Zone mission, they will board the Quinjet, and if they have matchmaking enabled, they can be matchmade with up to three other unique Avengers for a party of four heroes.

However, you can also choose to take on War Zone missions solo, where you will be able to choose from AI companions whom youâ€™ve reassembled, unless the narrative prescribes a specific team composition. They will reflect the skills and gear youâ€™ve previously equipped them with.
War Zone missions really shine when players team up and use their abilities in tandem, especial;y when combining heroic powers. For example, Thor can send a large group of enemies flying up in the air, and while they are immobilized, Iron Man will volley missiles at them; it is an amazing sight.
Another fun and highly-destructive combo has Kamala Khan sending an enemy flying with a mega high-five, followed by Hulkâ€™s Thunderclap on the stunned enemy. Not many enemies can survive these Team Finishers.
Marvel’s Avengers Customization & Gear

Playing through the single-player and War Zone missions will reward players with an array of items including gear, resources, artifacts, and cosmetics.
As players gain experience, they can increase their Hero level and unlock new character-specific skills. For example, players can choose to equip Iron Manâ€™s iconic Repulsor, Micro Rockets, or lasers to take enemies down. Each hero has several categories of unique skills that allow players to fine-tune their playstyle.
Here are the customization options in Marvel’s Avengers:

Gear: These are gameplay items equipped across seven different slots to enhance hero abilities such as damage dealt for ranged or melee, defensive enhancements to protect against AIM advanced weaponry, or special combined technologies such as Gamma radiation damage or integrating Pym Particles into your arsenal.
Resources: Crafting resources â€“ such as Uru â€“ can be found through exploration, be rewarded from vendors, or collected by breaking down unwanted Gear. Then itâ€™s applied to improve existing equipped gear or traded with vendors for advanced gear.
Artifacts: Artifacts are specialized gear that comes in two flavours. Marvel fans will be most excited about exotic artifacts that are pulled from Marvel lore and give unique abilities when equipped.
Cosmetics: Cosmetic items include outfits, emotes, and nameplates. They can be gained in a variety of ways, including unlocked through the campaign, dropped in War Zones, bought from faction vendors, or purchased through the in-game marketplace.
Additional unique cosmetics can also be unlocked through accomplishing challenges on Hero Chase Cards, which have tiered reward paths tied to completing challenges.

In addition, there are special abilities that come with certain gear and artifacts; tailored to encourage specific play styles. For example, certain perks apply Gamma or Cosmic damage to your attacks. When combined, Perks and Attributes can help define your playstyle. There are even branded gear to help identify builds, like Stark Tech for ranged ability augmentation, and SHIELD gear for defensive play.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOAKfajsAiY&w=560&h=315]
Marvelâ€™s Avengers is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One, Stadia, and PC on 4 September 2020. In the meantime, you can watch the full War Table presentation below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swhz24XZCOs&w=560&h=315]


Elden Ring Gets Thai Flavour With A Unique Trailer

Bandai Namco Southeast Asia has released a new unique Thai-language trailer to commemorate the launch of Elden Ring. The commercial starts off like a conventional family-focused Southeast Asian advertisement before it suddenly swerves to promoting Elden Ring out of nowhere.
It’s pretty funny; even the grandma plays the game. In the meantime, check out our review of the game here, or head on over here for our guide on how to be Elden Lord.


Christopher Nolan Boggles Minds & Bombards Senses With His Most Complex Movie Yet

Review originally published on 22nd August.Christopher Nolan. His name is now synonymous with movies that feature signature overly-complex plot and mind-blowing twists. He experimented with non-linear structure with Memento and Inception, but Tenet is very much his grandest and most ambitious experiment yet.
Does that mean Tenet is his best movie to date? No, it probably isn’t. But this might very well become his most alienating and divisive movie as well.
Time For Tenet

Just like his previous movies, it’s best to watch Tenet fresh and without any prior foreknowledge. All I (and most of everyone else) knew about Tenet going into the movie was that the premise involved reverse time travel (or inversion) of some kind and thrilling international espionage.
Well, without spoiling anything, Tenet is essentially that, featuring a narrative that revolves around a physics-based time travel concept, which is refreshingly something unique and rarely (if ever) seen in any other science fiction movie before it.This isn’t a conventional time-travel plot we’ve all seen a thousand times. Nolan knows it, having mulled over Tenet’s central ideas for more than a decade and taking over five years to write the screenplay.
I can’t actually reveal anything, but all I can say is that the time travel concept in Tenet is more complex and multi-faceted than anything I’ve ever seen before, based on inversion. Just like in Interstellar and Inception, Nolan has taken an (apparently) authentic concept of quantum physics and applied it to Tenet. The problem with all this is it may all just go over the heads of casual viewers, and they may require multiple viewings to fully understand what’s actually transpired in Tenet.

However, the breakneck pacing in Tenet leaves no room for viewers to breathe, as exposition and action scenes arrive one after another. Just when viewers learn something new, the characters in Tenet are already on the move to the next thing. Viewers barely have time to digest this new morsel of information before they’re thrust into yet another scene.
With Tenet, it really seems like Nolan is trying to both boggle the mind and bombard the senses at the same time. Tenet features some of the most impressive epic setpieces ever witnessed in a Nolan movie, and this includes even the mind-bending reality-shifting dreamscapes in Inception.They’re even more incredible, considering that these are all mostly practical effects with real vehicles, real explosions, and real stunts.
For instance, that aeroplane crash sequence seen in the trailers (and in the movie) was accomplished using an actual Boeing 747 aircraft. Nolan described it as “cost-effective” and the rest of the movie follows the same mantra. Viewers should expect more scenes like that in the movie, especially one scene in particular that involves multiple vehicles on the highway (which happens to be my favourite scene in the entire movie).

Astoundingly, even the reverse time travel sequences were filmed in real-time, instead of just rewinding the normal footage to make it look running in backwards. Tenet is basically Nolan flexing everything he has learned over the years, applying it here.
On a purely technical and narrative level, Tenet is Nolan’s most ambitious effort yet, though it’s not all perfect. The first half of the two-and-a-half-hour duration of the movie is straightforward and less complicated (with an explosive opening). That’s before the movie kicks into high gear in the second half without letting up until the very end.
Don’t get me wrong; once again Nolan has managed to accomplished a great cinematic feat. However, trying to wrap your head around the confusing and convoluted time travel concepts while being overwhelmed is not for everyone but the most invested.

That said, a glaring problem I’d like to point out in Tenet is the sound mixing and editing. Nolan’s movies have often suffered from what seems to be atrocious sound mixing and editing, most obviously observed in Interstellar, Dunkirk, and now, Tenet.
The marvellous orchestral score by composer Ludwig GÃ¶ransson (of The Mandalorian and Black Panther fame) is exceptional. Unfortunately, it always drowns out the dialogue in the movie.Even in relatively peaceful scenes where two characters are simply talking, there’s a rising score in the background that overpowers the scene, rendering the dialogue unclear and robbing them of their power.
This problem doesn’t ruin the movie, but it still negatively affects the cinematic experience. Nolan keeps making the same mistake in almost every movie. It’s a minor one, but still noticeable either way.
In addition, there are many moments of foreshadowing in Tenet for eagle-eyed viewers and I’m sure many of them will be dissecting this movie for many years to come. This is a movie that would definitely benefit from second viewings onward. I know I’m ready for mine.
Agents Of Tenet

Tenet boasts a cast of amazing actors, including John David Washington (of HBO’s Ballers and 2018’s BlacKkKlansman fame) as the Protagonist. Nolan’s movies usually struggle with compelling or complex characters, but Tenet fares a bit better on that end in regards to several of its characters. The Protagonist is not one of them.
It’s not that the Protagonist is bland, but it’s more that the supporting cast overshadows him and shines more brightly, especially Elizabeth Debicki and Robert Pattinson. They’re the standout roles, delivering brilliant emotional range in this movie. Kenneth Branagh is also menacing as the antagonist. Other characters played by Aaron-Taylor Johnson, Dimple Kapadia, and Himesh Patel have smaller roles, but some are more memorable than others.
If there’s one problem with the Protagonist, it doesn’t feel like his motivations are justified or developed well enough in the movie, especially when compared to Inception‘s Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) or Interstellar‘s Cooper (Matthew McConaughey). John David Washington’s character may be called the Protagonist but he doesn’t get half as much development as the characters portrayed by Elizabeth Debicki and Robert Pattinson.
Forwards And Backwards

It is this humble writer’s opinion that Inception remains Nolan’s crowning jewel, but Tenet will probably still impress viewers with its narrative and cinematic prowess nevertheless. If you’re already a huge fan of Nolan and his movies, you will very likely adore Tenet with all your soul.
Only time will tell if Tenet will be as fondly remembered as Nolan’s other movies, or where it will eventually place in the echelon of science fiction movies in history.
FINAL SCORE: 80/100
Tenet is slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas on 27 August 2020. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/L3pk_TBkihU


[Rumour] The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Update Is Coming Today

The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt could be launching on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S today on 19 October 2021.
According to the recently updated PEGI ratings boardÂ (viaÂ Gematsu), The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt next-gen update will arrive today. However, CD Projekt Red has yet to confirm the news, so it’s better to take all this with a grain of salt for now.
The updated listing mentions the The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Game Of The Year Edition, which means that it would come with the base game, alongside the Hearts of Stone and Blood & Wine expansions.
The Witcher 3 next-gen version was originally announced back in September 2020. Back then, the developer said that the next-gen edition of The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt will feature â€œa range of visual and technical improvements, including ray tracing and faster loading times, across the base game, both expansions, and all extra contentâ€.
Although it will be released as a standalone purchase for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, existing owners of the game on the PS4, Xbox One and PC will receive the next-gen version as a free update.
Stay tuned.


Granblue Fantasy: Versus Sells 150k Copies On Its First Day In Asia

Mobile game publisher and Granblue Fantasy owners Cygames revealed the sales numbers of their new spin-off fighting game, and it’s a doozy.
Granblue Fantasy: Versus sold strong numbers in Asia (Japan, Southeast Asia, etc.) with a healthy 150,000 copies on its first day in the market. For comparison’s sake, here are the first-day sales numbers for some of the recent fighting game titles:

Street Fighter V: 42,000 (2016)
Tekken 7: 59,000 (2017)
Dragon Ball FighterZ: 69,000 (2018)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: 1.2 million within 3 days (2018)
Samurai Shodown: 40,000 (2019)

Essentially, Granblue Fantasy: Versus sold more than most “hardcore” fighting game titles on the list. It’ll be interesting to see how well the game does at this year’s EVO tournament and within the first 6 to 7 months after its release.
Granblue Fantasy: Versus is out now in Asia, and so far I’ve enjoyed most of it. Save for a small-yet-diverse roster, the rest of the game looks sharp, plays great, and blends the best of anime fighters and Street Fighter footsie-based combat without most of the complications from the two mechanics. I’d say buy it right now if you’re a huge fan of fighting games, whether you’re a newbie or expert.
Stay tuned for our full review next week. In the meantime, watch these playthroughs of the game’s RPG mode and the Skybound Arts animation below. Oh, and our primer on the world itself.Â
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1083385215330320/
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/1123852434633727/
https://www.facebook.com/kakuchopurei/videos/171406527481679/


Overwatch League: San Francisco Shock Ends Seoul Dynasty’s Playoff Hopes

In one of the most unprecedented outcomes from Stage 1 of the Overwatch League so far, the Seoul Dynasty will miss out from the Stage 1 Playoffs after only managing a 3-2 win over the San Francisco Shock. Requiring at least a 4-0 win aided by other results going their way to make it to the Stage 1 playoffs, the Dynasty started well with a win on Eichenwalde but two consecutive losses on Temple of Anubis and Ilios slammed the door shut of any chance of them finishing Stage 1 in third.
While Ryujehong & Co regrouped to win the fourth map on Dorado and salvaged some pride by winning the tie-breaker map on Lijiang Tower, it all came to nought as they will have to contend with the harsh reality of not only missing out on the playoffs, but surety of finishing Stage 1 in fifth.
But let’s not take anything away from the super impressive Shock who pushed the Dynasty to the brink thanks to stellar plays led by BabyBay. This team while have displayed stuttering form in Stage 1, have tons of talent in them and expect them to be even scarier once Super and Sinatraa joins the fray.
Leading the league up til Week 3, Dynasty’s slide in fortunes started with consecutive losses to New York Excelsior and London Spitfire and they even struggled to beat Houston Outlaws to stymie the rot. However the 0-4 loss to Los Angeles Valiant on Thursday was the killer blow to their chances and now will have to figure out how they are going to approach Stage 2 which starts 22nd February. Their over-reliance on Fleta is well known and once he’s shut down, the team appeared toothless. Seoul Dynasty should really look into expanding their DPS options during the transfer period which many believe will be played on a totally different meta following Mercy’s recent nerf.


Sony & Microsoft Announce Historic Gaming & Tech Partnership

In an unexpected turn of events in what might spell the end of the long and arduous console wars, Sony and Microsoft have announced a strategic partnership focusing on developing gaming and cloud technology. What does this mean for the PlayStation and Xbox brands?
According to the official statement given by Microsoft, they will work together with Sony to develop “future cloud solutions in Microsoft Azure to support their respective game and content-streaming services”.
For who don’t know, Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing service, which can be applied to a host of technological functions, including, in this case, to further develop “Sonyâ€™s game and content-streaming services”.
Sony president and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said:

â€œPlayStationÂ® itself came about through the integration of creativity and technology. Our mission is to seamlessly evolve this platform as one that continues to deliver the best and most immersive entertainment experiences, together with a cloud environment that ensures the best possible experience, anytime, anywhere.
For many years, Microsoft has been a key business partner for us, though of course, the two companies have also been competing in some areas.
I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content. Additionally, I hope that in the areas of semiconductors and AI, leveraging each companyâ€™s cutting-edge technology in a mutually complementary way will lead to the creation of new value for society.â€

While this partnership is certainly a positive step towards making gaming and entertainment more inclusive and open, it remains too early to say if there would lasting effects in the near future. A massive collaboration like this would need a lot of time and resources before we can start seeing the results.
It doesn’t seem realistic that two major corporations like Sony and Microsoft would simply stop competing with each other, so don’t expect the console wars to end anytime soon. While the occasional partnership could prove fruitful and beneficial, competition is ultimately always good for business.
Nevertheless, it does look like this Sony-Microsoft partnership could be their retaliation against the rise of other cloud streaming services encroaching into gaming and entertainment, the most prominent of which is Google Stadia (read more about that here).

Excited about the opportunities ahead with @Sony for us to pursue our mutual gaming ambitions and delight players around the world. https://t.co/3vBuQiruiR
â€” Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) May 16, 2019
(Image Credit: Microsoft)


Malaysian Cinemas To Reopen On 9 September 2021

Malaysian cinemas will finally open on 9 September 2021.
The decision was officially announced by Malaysian Prime Minister Datoâ€™ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob earlier today. According to a report by Astro Awani, cinemas in Malaysia can re-open and resume operations on 9 September 2021 with several conditions.
These conditions include up to only 50 percent capacity allowed as of now, and that all patrons must be fully vaccinated with both doses.
However, local cinema chains like GSC Cinemas and TGV Cinemas has yet to announce what movies will be available starting from 9 September 2021.

Dear all (antivax, not you) stay tuned for reopening updates! ? #BacktoGSC pic.twitter.com/ILmESUxwUF
— GSC x Mat Kilau ?? (@GSCinemas) September 7, 2021

Finally, we're back! #TontondiTGV pic.twitter.com/D9fBgXG7rM
— TGV Cinemas | #TontondiTGV ?? (@TGVCinemas) September 7, 2021

Stay tuned to Kakuchopurei for more updates!