Genting SkyWorlds Reveals Details About Its Nine Theme Park Worlds

Resorts World Genting has revealed further details of the adventures that await visitors at Southeast Asiaâ€™s most anticipated theme park, featuring nine movie and adventure-inspired â€˜worldsâ€™, soaring at 6,000 feet above sea level.
In addition to its own original IPs, Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park will also incorporate movie-themed brands and IPs across its world-class rides and attractions.
Each world within the theme park will tell its own captivating story through unique rides, tantalizing dining options, fun retail outlets, and engaging live entertainment. Genting SkyWorlds also includes world-first, never before seen rides that are unique to the Theme Park.
Studio Plaza â€“ Where Adventures Begin
The adventure begins at Studio Plaza, which serves as a prelude to the many other worlds that lie ahead. Inspired by the golden era of cinema, the iconic faÃ§ade features elements that reflect a sense of cinematic grandeur, setting the tone for the fun pursuits that await guests as they enter the theme park.Â
Eagle Mountain â€“ Race to Victory
At Eagle Mountain, visitors are exposed to the â€œheatâ€ of a Californian desert. The largely forgotten town is a hangout for bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts, with electrifying energy! The highlight of Eagle Mountain â€“ and one of the hero rides of Genting SkyWorlds – is Mad Ramp Peak – Full Throttle Racing, the worldâ€™s first dual-powered coaster bike ride.Â Â
Central Park â€“ Experience World-Class Offerings
Central Park represents the largest world in Genting SkyWorlds. Whether itâ€™s a visit to the Natural History Museum or the stunning fountain show at the Lake of Dreams, Central Park will take visitors into a world of wonder and amazement.
Among the rides and attractions at Central Park is Night at the Museum: Midnight Mayhem â€“ guests can team up with the museumâ€™s night guard on an action-packed 3D interactive ride protecting the unruly exhibits, ESD Global Defender â€“ board a hybrid aerospace fighter for a heart-pounding flight through the galactic skies, and Independence Day: Defiance – with a backdrop set to one of the largest state-of-the-art dome screens, guests will gear up to be part of an exhilarating space endeavour.Â
Rio â€“ Vamos, DanÃ§ar, Rio!
Enjoy the bustling neighbourhood of Santa Teresa where fun, excitement and samba music fill the air.Â  Visitors will join iconic characters from the unique double-decker Blue Sky Carousel. They can then spin into a whirlwind of fun on the Rio Carnaval Chaos! twirling teacups ride and reach new heights on the Samba Gliders, climbing up to a height of 65 feet for the ultimate birdâ€™s-eye view of every corner of Rio.Â
Ice Age â€“ The Coolest Adventure
A pre-historic adventure awaits. Join Sid and the herd in Ice Age: Expedition Thin Ice, as they journey through ice caverns, Geotopia and a flowing lava tunnel to find and save the lost campers of Campo De Sid. Acorn Adventure presents visitors with a thrilling roller coaster experience as the nutty Scrat goes in search of his elusive acorn around the icy summit.
The zone continues at Sidâ€™s Rock N Slide, which joins Sid and Diego for a motion-filled log ride adventure. Meanwhile, the Mammoth Fun Zone promises big fun, excitement and energy for children of all ages.Â
Epic â€“ Explore the Hidden Kingdom
Get ready for a grand adventure around the pint-sized whimsical world. Visitors can begin at Bombaâ€™s House where the indoor boat ride of Epic Voyage to Moonhaven will bring you through a tour with Mub and Grub. The land also includes Epic Hummingbird Flyers where guests will help to defend Queen Marigold from the Boggans!
Robots Rivet Town â€“ Spin into Fun Times
Experience family fun in the vibrant world of Robots Rivet Town. Enter the company of inventors and hop aboard Bigweldâ€™s Zeppelins, this soaring fleet of Zeppelins offers panoramic views of Robots Rivet Town. Hidden just below is the Rivet Town Roller, an adventurous capsule ride.
Liberty Lane â€“ Excitement at Every Turn
The thriving neighbourhood of Liberty Lane will feature unique stores, themed food outlets and the Invasion of the Planet of the Apes ride. The first of its kind, designed exclusively for Genting SkyWorlds â€“ this ride will immerse visitors in a pulse-pounding indoor 3D ride featuring Caesar and other iconic primates in a battle for survival.Â
Andromeda Base â€“ The Search for Space is Just Beginning
In this thrilling galactic world, guests will be put through various challenges. One of them is the Terraform Tower Challenge, offering thrills and exhilaration of intergalactic proportions with breathtaking views from top and a unique surprise at the startâ€¦! The drill continues at Boot Camp Training, where physical obstacle courses will challenge even the most agile space recruits while the Alpha Fighter Pilots ride will take visitors on a thrilling space battle 360 multi-directional simulation.Â
And there you have it â€“ the nine worlds at Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park. To provide a truly holistic adventure for visitors, these nine worlds will also feature a unique array of themed dining, retail and entertainment experiences. From a feast of delicious Western and Asian fare at Buckâ€™s Cafe; to mouth-watering burgers at Classic Burgers; to Aunt Fannyâ€™s Confectionery, home to all kinds of sweet treats; visitors are assured that their many adventures will be well fueled.Â
Meanwhile, visitors will also be able to commemorate their experience at Genting SkyWorlds with some original merchandise at various retail outlets around the park. Visitors can also look forward to spectacular live shows, character meet-and-greet sessions and many opportunities to capture some truly Insta-worthy photographs.
When Is Genting SkyWorlds Opening?
Although initially slated for mid-year 2021, the opening of Genting SkyWorlds has been deferred pending the successful implementation of the National Recovery Plan, taking into consideration the evolving COVID-19 situation and following compliance with the Governmentâ€™s regulations and SOPs.Â
Resorts World Genting Head of Theme Parks & Experiences Mr. Greg Pearn said:
â€œRight now, our priority is ensuring we play our part in safeguarding the health and safety of our employees and guests, even if that means delaying the opening for a short while.
Myself and the team are confident the good times arenâ€™t too far away and we can look up to brighter days when we open the gates to our incredible Theme Park and present the unique, fun and amazing adventures Genting SkyWorlds has to offer.
What we have created is extraordinary and definitely going to be worth the wait!â€
For more info on Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park, you can head on over to the official website www.gentingskyworlds.com or follow their official social media pages on Facebook,Â Instagram,Â YouTubeÂ andÂ Twitter.


Japanese Tourism Site Launches Campaign To Make You… Go To Tsushima

A Japanese tourism site has launched a new campaign dedicated to Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima, in order to promote Tsushima Island (which is part of the Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan) to tourists.
For those unfamiliar with the real-life Tsushima, it is an actual island in Japan, located in between the Japanese mainland and the Korean peninsula. Ghost of Tsushima does feature several historical places that still exist on the island to this day.
As if assisted by a guiding wind, scroll through the website and you’ll see authentic pictures of the real-life locations that have inspired the expansive open-world in Ghost of Tsushima. Amongst the many temples, ruins, and natural landscapes, players should recognise Komoda Beach, which is where the Mongol Empire landed their invasion force in the beginning of the game.
Komoda Beach in real life.
Oh, and what tourism website would be complete without information about the local cuisine? For the foodies out there, there’s a section for exactly that if you want to explore the delicacies of Tsushima Island.
Tsushima’s Iriyaki Hot-Pot.
In the meantime, check out all our Ghost Of Tsushima-related coverage here.


India Might Ban PUBG Mobile Soon After Banning More Chinese Games

India has already banned over 59 Chinese apps last month, including Tik Tok and games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Clash Of Kings. A new report from India Today has claimed that they might ban over 200 more Chinese apps soon, which potentially includes extremely popular games like Tencent’s PUBG Mobile.
Previously, the Indian government had alleged that the 59 banned apps were engaged in activities that were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order”.
According to video games industry analyst Daniel Ahmad, PUBG Mobile has already amassed a whopping 180 million downloads to date, with over US$30 million monthly revenue. If India does decide to ban PUBG Mobile, the country would lose its number one mobile game, which would then become Garena’s Free Fire.

If the title is banned then India loses its #1 mobile game.
Free Fire would be poised to take the #1 spot.
Mobile esports industry driven by PUBGM recently.
Banning the game would have a significant impact on this segment.
Overall impact would be negative in the short term.
â€” Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) July 27, 2020
The move would ultimately negatively impact the local mobile games industry in India. However, it remains to be seen if PUBG Mobile will be flagged for “security reasons” or “data sharing and privacy concerns”.
The Indian government reportedly follows a particular process before banning any of the Chinese apps. An official from the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) had told India Today that “there is a process involved, there is a committee in place for such ban orders. If there is such an order, then it will act”.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrhdaKb_9pM&w=560&h=315]


Classic SNK Vs Capcom Card Fighter Is Now Available On Nintendo Switch

The classic 23-year-old Neo Geo Pocket game, SNK Vs Capcom Card Fightersâ€™ Clash is now available for download on the Nintendo Switch.
First released all the way back in 1999, the classic game SNK Vs Capcom Card Fightersâ€™ Clash is making a return on the Nintendo Switch and is available for purchase right now on the Nintendo eShop. Originally released for the Neo Geo Pocket, the game included not one game but two; the SNK Cardfighter’s Version and the Capcom Cardfighter’s Version.
Think of it as a Pokemon Red/Pokemon Blue situation, but this new updated version combines both games into one. The card fighter game will consist of an expansive roster made up of iconic characters from both gaming giants. Expect to see Street Fighter characters clash with King Of Fighters characters in card game based combat.

Besides those two franchises, characters from the Darkstalkers games, Metal Slug and even Mega Man make an appearance, with 300 cards in total where characters appear as Character Cards for fighting, and Action Cards for support during battle.
The game lets you own both SNK and Capcom versions but each has its own save data. However, you can switch between both versions at any time. Additionally, card trading between both versions is possible, allowing you to make the strongest deck or create your own personal team made up of your favourite characters from multiple franchises.
SNK Vs Capcom Card Fightersâ€™ Clash is now available to download for RM75 and can support up to two players.
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaZ7a2BSr74


Grim Guardians: Demon Purge Boss Walkthrough

Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is the latest 2D Metroidvania-esque game from Inti Creates. It’s a Gal Gun spin-off where Pheromone Power is traded in favour of demon-hunting submachine guns, shikis, and blades.
You play as sisters Shinobu (submachine gun user) and Maya (melee and shiki user) as they tag-team their way through demons, a giant mysterious castle, linear-yet-multipath designs, and most of the cast from past Gal Gun games. Just like Castlevania and the games that inspired it, Grim Guardians has bosses you have to fight and abilities you can score from the main campaign.
Here’s a video guide on how to deal with all of them, complete with timestamps. Note that after you defeat the Granfalloon tribute in the 7th castle apex stage, you will have to revisit the previous areas again, though shortcuts will open this second time around.
Grim Guardians: Demon Purge All Boss Fights/Walkthrough

0:00 – Bat boss
4:01 – Rabbit boss
7:16 – Knight boss
12:32 – Plant rapist
18:40 – Evil sorcerer boss
24:21 – Angel boss
31:38 – Granfalloon tribute
40:08 – Boss fights round 2
1:13:41 – Final boss


Mobile Legends M2 World Champions Joins Forces With EMERGE Esports

Mobile Legendsâ€™ M2 World Championship champions BREN Esports has announced the start of a year-long partnership with Singapore-based esports talent management agency, EMERGE Esports. The local esports organisation will be supporting BREN Esports in their grand entrance into Singapore and in their competitive gaming journey ahead.
EMERGE Esports is also expanding their advertising inventory to back and manage the Filipino Organisation across different gaming titles, including the newly added mobile esports title League Of Legends Wild Rift.
BREN Esports has shown dominant performance in the past months with the Valorant team being the first to qualify for the upcoming Valorant SEA Masters tournament. In addition, the Mobile Legends team walked away with an ultimate victory at the M2 World Championship in Singapore in January 2021.
The collaboration means that the agency will gain media and advertising rights of the players for marketing purposes, support them in upcoming tournaments as well as provide and manage growth opportunities for the athletes.
Carlito â€œRiboâ€ Ribo, former drag racer turned pro-player from BREN Esports believes that the partnership will widen the teamâ€™s fan base and strengthen their identity in the region.
Ribo shares:
â€œWe are thrilled to be working with EMERGE Esports and believe this opportunity will bring us closer to our followers in Singapore and in the vicinity.
We also hope that the tie-up can empower more esports enthusiasts to pursue gaming and also support us in our journey aheadâ€.
Adding onto Riboâ€™s enthusiasm on reaching the followers in Singapore, Leo Andrew “Jab” Escutin, Chief Operating Officer said:
â€œEMERGE Esports has shown tremendous growth in the past months in terms of audience engagement and partnerships.
Together with our partners and athletes, we look forward to building and enhancing the vibrant esports scene in Singapore and in the regionâ€.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of EMERGE Esports Roy Kek said:
“The esports scene has seen promising growth in the past years with high potential for existing and upcoming players.
We are excited to work with one of the finest esports teams the industry has to offer and believe they are a natural fit for our agency.
We admire and share their passion for gaming and would like this to be a part of a greater initiative of making gaming a mainstream lifestyle in Singapore and in the region.
Competitions have always been a cornerstone of the gaming industry.
Although we started our journey with Kingsmen as our first competitive team, it has always been our vision to expand our ecosystem and to be able to support deserving talents.
Having a team like BREN Esports onboard not only strengthens our organisation and talent pool but also allows us to represent the esports community on more global platforms.â€
EMERGE Esports originally launched in November 2020 and has over 70 esports athletes and personalities in their talent pool. BREN Esports would be the second competitive team to join hands with EMERGE Esports, after Kingsmen.
EMERGE Esports’ collaborative ecosystem provides teams and talents with holistic support, that enables them to focus their efforts on training and preparation for upcoming events. Services include bridging teams and athletes with sponsors and event organisers as well as co-create content that enhances their image in the gaming community.


Team Hong Kong Confirms Participation In Overwatch World Cup 2019

Following the recent controversy regarding Hong Kong Hearthstone player Chung ‘blitzchung’ Ng Wai’s suspension from the Hearthstone Grandmasters, Hong Kong’s Overwatch Team Fire Dragons took some time to discuss their future plans.
A recent announcement from their Twitter page has confirmed that the Fire Dragons will continue to participate in the Overwatch World Cup 2019. The team believes that this is too valuable of an opportunity to let go because not only will they be allowed to prove themselves in terms of skill but also to make themselves and the community that theyÂ  come from more visible in the eyes of the world.

The Overwatch World Cup Team Hong Kong Committee releases the following statement?:
Text version: https://t.co/KhktmR79QW pic.twitter.com/9tepTLTKwQ
— FIRE DRAGONS ?? #OWWC2019 (@OWTeamHongKong) October 14, 2019

The entire issue is more complicated than it seems and a lot of esports teams and companies who work with Blizzard have been getting into a lot of discussions concerning their future with Blizzard. The main rule is to never mix politics with gaming and everyone involved wants to make sure that the rule is always followed.


Need For Speed Unbound Features Takeover Events Led By Some Hot New Rapper

I do not know who A$AP Rocky is, but he sounds current and important enough to headline a new Need For Speed in-game event.
EA and Criterion Games’ new upcoming racing title Need For Speed Unbound will feature a new mode called Takeover Events. The mode is billed as a new replayable precision driving experience led by rap artist A$AP Rocky.
The new mode will have players pulling huge drifts, smashing collectible, and proving skills to street racers of Lakeshore. You do this a lot and you’ll eventually race in the ultimate racing challenge called The Grand.
Check out the mode gameplay below, along with new(?) music from the rapper himself. Need For Speed Unbound will be out for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, and Xbox One on 2nd December.


Snoop Dogg Operator Bundle Now Live In Call Of Duty Vanguard & Warzone

Nearly two decades after breaking out with The Chronic, Snoop Dogg is still on top of the game. He became the owner of Death Row Records. He delivered an iconic halftime performance right outside his hometown of Long Beach. He joined an esports organization, has multiple business ventures, and even helped break a world record for largest cocktail, which, of course, involved plenty of “Gin and Juice.”
Now, you can play as Snoop Dogg in Call Of Duty Vanguard and Warzone by picking up the Tracer Pack: Snoop Dogg Operator Bundle, available in the in-game Store for both games.
Here is everything you get in this pack, available for 2,400 COD Points:

Snoop Dogg Operator with Full Progression

As a playable Operator, Snoop Dogg comes with his own voice lines, progression path, and biography.
Snoop Dogg can be leveled up like any other Vanguard Operator and comes with four challenges to help you earn Operator XP. Play as Snoop and get Kills, Headshot Kills, Hipfire Kills, and Wins to unlock sizable Operator XP rewards.
Through Snoop’s progression path, you can unlock several XP and PPSH-41 Weapon XP rewards, as well as two Sprays, two Operator Quips, a Calling Card, a Sticker, an Emblem, a Weapon Charm, a Vanguard-exclusive Killcam Vanity, and four alternate Operator outfits. Two of these threads — the gold-trimmed “VIP” and the iced-out Diamond “Tha Doggfather” — are unlocked at max level (20).
The Weapons

The Tracer Pack: Snoop Dogg Operator Bundle includes three Legendary Weapon Blueprints that can smoke out enemies even when the stakes are high.
First up is the “Bong Ripper” Sniper Rifle, a nine-attachment bolt-action behemoth built for long-range big team fights. A combination of a 10.0x telescopic sight and lengthened ammo play well into the extended .30-06 magazines, which also counter the included Barrel’s overpenetration problems to make this weapon quick and viable at all ranges.
Another weapon is the “West Coast Bling” Assault Rifle, a great pairing to the Bong Ripper with its nine preconfigured attachments and Snoop’s name on the side of its body. Built to have a fast fire rate and give Operators better movement speeds, get ready to blaze the competition up close and leave them huffing and puffing behind you.
Rather use an SMG? Then bring along the platinum hit from 187.4 FM “Tha Shiznit,” a 10-attachment Blueprint perfect for “poppin’, stoppin’, [and] hoppin’ like a rabbit.” Extremely accurate with a high fire rate, this incendiary-loaded weapon includes the Unmarked Proficiency feature for silent footsteps after eliminations and the On-Hand Perk for better dexterity with equipment.
Everything Else

An Operator and three weapons are just some of the quick hits that this pack has to offer.
Alongside those four immediate unlocks in the Tracer Pack: Snoop Dogg Operator Bundle are a golden leaf “Mellow Medal” Weapon Charm, a Legendary “The Original Gangsta” Emblem, a “High Art” Spray, and a “Finishizzle Movizzle.” There are also two Vanguard exclusive rewards: a “Tactical Toke” Match Intro and the “Hit This, Fam” MVP Highlight, which brings both enemies and allies to peace at the end of combat.


[Updated] Street Fighter 6 Hits 1 Million Players In Just 3 Days & The Franchise Hits 50 Million Sales

Street Fighter 6, the latest instalment in the legendary fighting game franchise, has already pulled in a whopping one million players within just three days of its release. Capcom, the company behind the game, proudly announced this milestone on the official Japanese Street Fighter Twitter account. They tweeted, and I quote, “Street Fighter 6 has surpassed 1 million players.”
To show their gratitude to the fans, Capcom has thrown in a little something extra. They’ve added a free in-game gift to celebrate the achievement, and players are buzzing about it. It seems to be a profile title, according to reports.
The tweet also claims that the entire Street Fighter series, as a whole, has now sold over 50 million copies. Whoa, that’s a whole lot of fighters duking it out on screens worldwide!

/??#??6 100??????????#??????????6 ???????100??????????
????????????????????6???????
????????????5,000?????
??????????????????????6? ?????????????? pic.twitter.com/B0b6uVnaYE
— ?????????? / STREET FIGHTER (@StreetFighterJA) June 5, 2023

How does it compare to its predecessors?
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Does this mean Street Fighter 6 is going to be a massive hit in terms of sales?” Well, player count and game sales aren’t exactly the same thing. Nevertheless, hitting the one-million mark in just three days is definitely a positive sign for the future success of the game. Let me put this into perspective for you: its predecessor, Street Fighter V, took a whole three months to sell 1.4 million copies. Talk about a speed boost!
Street Fighter IV, the beloved Street Fighter entry that came before V, had an even more explosive start. It sold over three million copies in just six weeks! Can you believe it?
And here’s a juicy tidbit: Last month, Capcom’s president spilt the beans on their ambitions for Street Fighter 6. In an interview with Famitsu, Haruhiro Tsujimoto revealed that the company has set a target of selling a mind-blowing 10 million copies of the game throughout its lifetime. That’s right, they’re aiming for the stars!
Tsujimoto explained their grand plan by highlighting the success of other Capcom franchises like Resident Evil and Monster Hunter. He pointed out that several titles in the Resident Evil series have reached the impressive milestone of selling 10 million copies, and the Monster Hunter series is even gunning for 20 million copies! With Street Fighter V already racking up over 7 million copies sold, Tsujimoto believes that by expanding the game’s appeal to a wider audience, including those who aren’t hardcore fighting game fans, they can turn Street Fighter 6 into the best-selling game in the entire series.
And guess what? The initial reviews of Street Fighter 6 have been super positive. Critics are loving it, giving it a solid score on Metacritic ranging from 89 to 92, depending on the gaming platform. Looks like Capcom is off to a great start with this one!
So, fighting game enthusiasts and Street Fighter fans alike, buckle up because it seems like Street Fighter 6 is shaping up to be an electrifying addition to the franchise. With one million players already stepping into the virtual arena, it’s clear that this game has struck a chord with gamers worldwide. Let the battles commence!

Update (6 June)
Not too long after this article went up, the official English Twitter for Street Fighter announced that the franchise as a whole has now sold over 50 million copies. The account went on to express gratitude for all the people who have supported the franchise over the years.

The Street Fighter series has sold over 50 million copies! Thank you for all the support over these years.
Ryu to Chun-Li: "We've known each other for so long, yet I still learn something new every time we fight." pic.twitter.com/5RZ0RFGkFF
— Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) June 5, 2023


Diversity In Games: Celebrating The Best Muslim Characters

The holy week of Ramadan is starting this week. Let’s highlight some of gaming’s most memorable Muslim(esque) heroes in gaming history.
Skip to 1:00 for the actual video. Do consider donating to the Lost Food Project to help folks in need during the Malaysia MCO.


Is Alita: Battle Angel Hollywood’s Most Faithful Manga Adaptation Yet?

Just like the long rumoured live-action versions of Evangelion and Robotech/Macross, for years James Cameron’s Battle Angel Alita only existed as hopeful fan discussions around what the director of Terminator, Aliens and Avatar could achieve when he turned his artistic talents to an adaptation of Yukito Kishiro’s manga classic.
Since Cameron has apparently decided to spend the rest of his life making Avatar sequels, he has passed the directorial reigns to Robert Rodriguez, remaining on as producer on what might be one of the most faithful manga adaptations by Hollywood. And even that still manages to fall short of greatness.
The overall plot of Alita: Battle Angel (apparently Cameron like his films to start with an “A” or a “T”) is cobbled together from parts of the manga that ran from 1990 to 1995 as well some elements that only appeared in the 2 episode OVA from 1993.Â 300 years after an apocalyptic war known as The Fall, the residents of Iron City scavenge to make a living off the technological scrap cast off by the last floating city Zalem.
While searching for cybernetic spare parts for his clinic Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) finds the cybernetic head of a girl with a living human brain inside and brings her back to life. Fitting her out with a new cybernetic body, he names her Alita after she reveals she can remember nothing of her past.
While Ido tries to shield her from the harsh realities of the world outside, Alita is determined to learn everything she can about the new world she finds herself in. This includes the handsome young man Hugo, the mysterious activities that take Ido to the streets each night and the realm of the “Hunter-Warriors” who police the mean streets of Iron City.
For Your Eyes Only

Before discussing the rest of the film we have to address the elephant in the room; the overly large anime eyes that the filmmakers decide to give Alita. While I got used to them after a short while and the effect is achieved well enough that it never detracts from the “look” of the character, it doesn’t really seem to serve any purpose other than to infantilize the amnesiac Alita and set her apart from everyone around her. It’s an odd design choice in a movie where almost all of the rest of the cyborgs have gone to great lengths to keep their original human faces as unchanged as possible.
The onscreen realisation of those cyborgs, as well as the world around them, is never less than impressive. Jackie Earle Haley is almost unrecognisable as the hulking henchman Grewishka who captures the spirit, if not the exact look of the character from the previous versions: a terrifying contraption of metal and blades.
The rest of the world around Alita has also been beautifully crafted, with the filmmakers taking the care to perfectly replicate individual panels from the books as well as sequences from the animation. All three open strikingly with almost identical shots of Dr. Ido pulling an eye from a cyborg’s skull in the scrap heaps of iron city. Many of the action scenes also take the time to fit in iconic moments from the manga, like a battle damaged Alita balancing perfectly on one hand during a fight.
The implementation of 3D is also to be applauded, as despite many dark scenes throughout, the film never suffers the dimming effect that so badly affected 3D versions of Solo: A Star Wars Story, the last film I saw in 3D. The picture is never less than crisp, and the action never less than clear.
All Surface, No Feeling

As impressive as the film looks,Â however, its plot and characters aren’t quite so successful.
Screenwriters Cameron, Rodriguez, & Laeta Kalogridis have taken the story of the first 2 volumes of the manga, introducing the world and Alita’s relationships with Ido and Hugo, and blended them with the elements from the third and fourth volumes, primarily the vicious cyborg sport of Motorball. A combination of roller derby and murder with various enhanced cyborgs tearing each other apart while chasing a ball around a race circuit, the onscreen realisation of Motorball was obviously a draw for Cameron/Rodriguez. However, in the original Alita only takes up Motorball due to some tragic events at the end of volume two, events which now take place in parallel. This has the unintended side effect of giving Alita, both the character and the movie, constantly shifting motivations which make her a slightly less than engaging heroine.
Is she focused on chasing her lost memories, taking up Motorball to earn credits, proving herself as a member of the hunter-warrior guild, or trying to end injustice in Iron City? She does all of these throughout the movie but the constant shifting ends up making her feel weak.
This isn’t helped by the unconvincing love story with the selfish Hugo. Jack and Rose these two ain’t.
Cameron has stated that in making the film he that he wanted to “make something that would give her (his daughter) a sense of confidence and empowerment that she could invest in“, but Alita doesn’t really display those attributes as well as Ripley or Sarah Connor. She feels adrift, constantly caught up in the motivations of those around her.
Wakanda Forever?

While the film can seem surprisingly gruesome for its P13 age rating, it’s only cyborg chassis being chopped up and blue fluid leaking from bodies instead of blood. The brightness of the world that works so well in 3D also works against the darkness required in the narrative. Iron City doesn’t appear to be that bad of a place to live. More like a dusty Wakanda than a cesspit that people would be willing to do anything to escape from, with the vision of Zalem taunting them from above.
None of this detracts from the performances, although it’s difficult if not impossible to separate Rosa Salazar’s performance from those CGI eyes and her replacement cyborg body. It’s almost impossible to see where the actress ends and Alita begins, which is a remarkable technical feat in itself. Mahershala Ali manages to nail the look and character of Vector almost perfectly while simultaneously providing the best audition tape for a Blade reboot (or a Wesley Snipes biopic). It’s also great to see genre stalwart Jeff Fahey in a small but crucial role.
Most of the sins of the movie could be overlooked if not for the one it commits right before you leave the cinema, that of the sequel-baiting call to action. After a time jump that would seem ripe for material for future sequels the film ends with Alita, now the Battle Angel, calling out the mysterious villain behind most of the machinations of the plot. It’s probably intended to mirror Neo’s threat from the end of the first Matrix but falls far short of the mark and ends up feeling hugely unsatisfying, leaving a bad taste in the mouth.
Visually Alita: Battle Angel manages to capture the look of its source material almost perfectly and avoids the kind of missteps made by the live action Ghost In The ShellÂ adaptation with Scarlett Johansson. However, in assembling its cybernetic Frankenstein’s monster, it has lost some of the appeal of the original source material.
At the very least, it’s worth watching for the spectacle and action, if not the characters.
Final Rating: 70/100


E3 2019: Ubisoft Reveals The Division 2 Year One Roadmap

At E3 2019, Ubisoft revealed the updated roadmap for the first year of Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, and it will include three episodes packed with story-driven missions that will ultimately lead agents back to where it all started, each of them bringing new areas, modes, rewards, specializations, exotic gear, and weapons:
Episode 1 D.C. Outskirts: Expeditions – July 2019

Episode 1 is all about exploration. Agents will scope out the outskirts and woodlands of Washington DC, as well as discovering the 11 biomes of the Washington National Zoo.
The hunt is on to find the leader of the Outcasts and President Ellis.
Episode 1 will also include the brand-new Expeditions in which players will have to participate every week to progress through the different wings of Trinity College.
Episode 2 Pentagon: The Last Castle â€“ Fall 2019

Taking place at the Pentagon, players in Episode 2 will experience an escalation in DC.
The Black Tusks continue to wreak havoc around the city and itâ€™s up to the Agents to stop them. In Episode 2 main missions players must fight to solve the ongoing outbreak crisis. Agents have to defend the Pentagon and its secrets from the Black Tusk.
Episode 2 will bring a new iteration of the most challenging content to date; the second 8-player Raid. This time, Agents will venture in the core of a Foundry, setting the stage for epic combats in the middle of melted metal and massive metal castings.
Episode 3 â€“ Early 2020
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UdwKMpIO3Q&w=560&h=315]
A showdown takes place in Episode 3 that will lead players to Coney Island. Agents will encounter new challenges as they must stop a familiar nemesis and face the biggest threat of all.
The Division 2 will also be available for a free weekend on all platforms from 13 June to 16 June 2019.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEKm_3kL0QA&w=560&h=315]
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is now available for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Check out the trailer for the Year One roadmap of The Division 2 below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKcL6zkJvGk&w=560&h=315]


Metronomik Is Currently Hiring For Their Next Game, Ondeh-Ondeh

Malaysian games developer Metronomik has announced that they are currently hiring and have opened a lot more job positions. According to their tweet, they are giving priority to local talent from Malaysia, so fellow Malaysians should definitely try it out if any of you have ever had dreams of working at a video game company.
Other details on the job positions include full-time only and those with Unreal Engine experience will be preferred (but this is optional). It looks like they’re really ramping up development on their their next game, Ondeh-Ondeh, which was originally announced back in November 2021.
The job positions include:

Game Designer
Environment Artist
Character modeler
Rigger
3D Animator
VFX Artist

Have a passion for making original video game IPs full of local charm? Join us!
?Get involved from pre-production?Open work culture that recognises your feedback (also introvert-friendly)?Full-time only?UE exp. preferred, but optional?Priority given to Malaysian talents pic.twitter.com/OEzJrmAFwa
— Metronomik (@MetronomikIncEN) July 14, 2022

Meanwhile, their debut game No Straight Roads is available now for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via the Epic Games Store and Steam. You can check out our full review of No Straight Roads here.


Ghost Of Tsushima Will Be 60FPS On The PS5

Sucker Punch has confirmed that Ghost Of Tsushima will be playable on the PS5 via backwards compatibility. The upcoming console’s Game Boost capability will also allow the game to run at a whopping 60FPS.

PS5 owners playing with Game Boost will see an extra option to allow frame rates up to 60FPS, and while loading speeds on the PS4 are already great, just wait until you see them on the PS5!— Sucker Punch Productions ? Ghost of Tsushima (@SuckerPunchProd) October 9, 2020

In addition, players can also expect support for save transfers from PS4 to PS5 and even faster load times on the PS5. Ghost Of Tsushima featured super-fast loading times on the PS4, especially for an open-world game. It must be near-instant on the PS5, from the sounds of it.
Ghost Of Tsushima is getting a major update later this week on 16 October 2020, which will add new multiplayer co-op modes, new game plus, and a lot more new content. Sucker Punch’s latest effort is also one of the few games we have given a perfect score to, so check out our review here.
In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Hot Toys Unveils New Star Wars Clone Wars Era Vehicles

Just in time for Star Wars Celebration 2022 this weekend, Hot Toys has unveiled new collectible figures of vehicles from Star Wars The Clone Wars era. We can see three vehicles in the video below, including an AT-RT. However, Hot Toys has only revealed details for the speeders (at the time of writing).
https://www.facebook.com/hottoys/videos/727767285318126/
The first is the Sar Wars: The Clone Wars – 1/6th scale Heavy Weapons Clone Trooper and BARC Speeder with Sidecar Collectible Set.
An army is only as effective as its mobility, so the Grand Army of the Republic was outfitted with an increasingly varied and versatile vehicle pool as the Clone Wars progressed. The BARC speeder gave clone troopers increased operational range, great speed, mobility, and firepower otherwise unavailable to the foot soldier. A more aggressive and bulkier design than slimmer speeder bikes used by the Jedi, the BARC speeder was used in scouting and escort missions on a variety of worlds. They were easily adaptable, with support struts that could be added to hold a stretcher or sidecar.
The highly-detailed collectible figure is specially crafted based on the appearance of Heavy Weapons Clone Trooper. It features skillfully developed Clone Trooper armor and helmet, a blaster rifle, a satchel bag, and a display base. The brand new 1/6th scale BARC Speeder measures at 68cm in length and comes with an attachable sidecar armed with articulated blaster. The vehicle has detailed mechanical structure, astonishing paint application with weathering effects, articulated handle bars, and a rocky themed base for variety of poses.
https://www.facebook.com/hottoys/posts/10158623662047344
The second is the Star Wars: The Clone Wars – 1/6th scale Commander Appo and BARC Speeder Collectible Set.
A clone trooper in Republic service, Appo took part in a number of critical battles during the fight against the Separatists. In the final days of the war, Appo accompanied Anakin Skywalker to Coruscant’s Jedi Temple as part of Order 66 to eliminate all the Jedi. The BARC speeder gave a clone troopers increased operational range, great speed, mobility, and firepower otherwise unavailable to the foot soldier. A more aggressive and bulkier design than slimmer speeder bikes used by the Jedi, the BARC speeder was used in scouting and escort missions on a variety of worlds.
The highly-detailed collectible figure is specially crafted based on the appearance of Commander Appo. It features beautifully crafted Clone Trooper armor and helmet, skillfully tailored outfit, a blaster rifle, and a display base!
As for the new 1/6th scale BARC Speeder, it measures 68cm in length and features detailed mechanical structure, beautifully paint application with weathering effects, articulated handle bars, and a rocky themed base.
https://www.facebook.com/hottoys/posts/10158623675052344
In addition, Hot Toys has also announced that they’re completing the Bad Batch, and will be unveiling three new figures soon.
https://www.facebook.com/hottoys/posts/10158624078072344
Stay tuned on Kakuchopurei for more Star Wars-related news and updates. In the meantime, check out our interview with Hayden Christensen AKA Darth Vader himself below:


Why The **** Is Spider-Man Teaming Up With Mysterio?

Now that Avengers: Endgame is finally here, we can look forward to the next installment in the MCU, and that’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, which will also officially be the last movie in Phase 3.
Spider-Man: Far From Home follows Peter Parker as he goes on a vacation to Europe with his classmates. After everything that’s happened since his first outing in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, he’s trying to hold on to whatever youth he has left. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Jon Watts said:

“Peterâ€™s ready for a vacation at the beginning of this movie, to say the least.
This film is about the world telling him, â€˜Itâ€™s time for you to step up and grow up, kid,â€™ and heâ€™s saying, â€˜But I still want to be a kid and go on vacation.â€™”

Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Homecoming was lambasted by some fans who felt that he was not relatable enough, due to the fact that he got his suit (and gadgets) from Tony Stark, and that the only problems he encountered in life were seemingly Disney-like and unrealistic.
The upcoming movie is set to change that, as Tom Holland said:

â€œSo in this film, especially, we tried to tailor the script in a way so that we could hit so many different relatable scenarios so that not a single person in the world felt left out watching this movie.â€

In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter is recruited by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to fight the Elementals, who are wreaking havoc across Europe. What’s interesting here is that Peter will also be teaming up with Quentin Beck AKA Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) as an ally. Watts said:

“If Tony Stark was sort of the mentor in the previous films, we thought it would be interesting to play Mysterio as almost like the cool uncle.”

Check out the exclusive Spider-Man: Far From Home image below, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly:

The biggest implication from this image isn’t that Spider-Man is shaking hands with Mysterio, but rather Peter’s bizarre choice to reveal his secret identity to the man who is destined to become one of his worst villains. Who or what could have made him put so much trust in Mysterio? Nick Fury?
Most people are ignoring another guy in the background of this image when he could prove to be the most interesting reveal yet. If I’m not mistaken, that looks like actor Numan Acar, who’s supposed to be playing Dmitri Smerdyakov AKA the Chameleon, best known as one of Spidey’s most notorious villains (and also the first one he ever faced in his comic book debut back in 1963).

With the ability to impersonate whoever he wants, the Chameleon could turn out to be the true antagonist of Spider-Man: Far From Home. Here’s a wild theory: what if the Nick Fury that introduces Peter to Mysterio is none other than the Chameleon masquerading as the former director of SHIELD? It’s definitely possible.
Spider-Man: Far From Home is slated to release on 4 July 2019. In the meantime, check out my detailed breakdown of the most recent Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer here, or read my spoiler-free review of Avengers: Endgame here.


Air Force The Movie Looks Like It Could Be Malaysia’s Top Gun

1986’s Top Gun remains one of the most popular blockbusters, and it’s made many people dreaming of becoming a jet pilot. Now Malaysia is dipping its toes into similar territory with Air Force The Movie Selagi Masih Bernyawa.
Directed by Zulkarnain Azhar and Frank See, the movie tells the story of Malaysian Navy Special Warfare Forces (PASKAL) leaders Captain Adib (Nas-T) and Major Adnan (Datuk Adi Putra) who is on a mission to protect war refugees in a third-world country. Helping them in this effort are the Royal Malaysian Air Force, whose ace fighter pilot is Adib’s brother-in-law, Zafran (Aiman Hakim Ridza).
Other cast members include Luqman Hafidz, Johan As’ari, Pablo Amirul, Sara Ali, Anas Ridzuan, Iman Corrine, Niezam Zaidi, Carmen Soo, Scha Alyahya and Azira Syafinaz. Filming took place in the outskirts of Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu, Shah Alam, Alor Star and Kota Belud in Sabah.
Director Zulkarnain said (via the NST):
“It was difficult with the Movement Control Order (MCO) in place, but I’m glad that we worked great as a team and wrapped it up with no hiccups.
The main stars spent a month of basic military training at an army camp in Banting, Selangor, a mere fraction of what the real fighter pilots and navy seals encounter, but they did it.”
Air Force The Movie Selagi Masih Bernyawa is slated to premiere in Malaysian cinemas in August 2021.
You can check out our reviews for Paskal and Wira as well, both of which are apparently in the same universe as the upcoming movie.
In the meantime, check out the epic poster and trailer below:


Doom Eternal OST Released Today, But…

Good news, Mick Gordon fans! Doom Eternal’s soundtrack is now available. However, it’s meant for Doom Eternal Collector’s Edition owners.

The DOOM Eternal Original Game Soundtrack composed by Mick Gordon is now available to download for Collector’s Edition owners. The OST will hit Spotify, iTunes & more in the coming weeks. Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/n4WQ1dgiVj
— id Software (@idSoftware) April 18, 2020

In addition, a few folks on Twitter found out that some tunes on the soundtrack aren’t mixed properly. Comparisons were made between a track from the Doom (2016) album and Doom Eternal’s, which features less definition on its wavelength (ie: more compressed and sounds poor by comparison).

Here's a comparison between the original BFG Division from  Doom 2016's official soundtrack (left) vs. the BFG 2020 remix on Eternal's soundtrack from today (right).
Notice how the wavelengths in BFG 2020 form a nearly perfectly straight bar vs. the original with more definition pic.twitter.com/TCJRdOe1Yf
— Doominal Crossing Got a Direct, But At What Cost? (@DoominalCross) April 19, 2020

Doom Eternal composer Mick Gordon said that he didn’t mix most of the tracks. This could be a Bethesda issue where someone who didn’t have any musical knowledge just mixed the track and shipped it as is.

Mick Gordon is a far more talented audio engineer than me, it's not even close & that's what makes this especially frustrating. I expect much better from him. Again, the music itself is phenomenal, but this mix on the official soundtrack is frankly terrible.
— Doominal Crossing Got a Direct, But At What Cost? (@DoominalCross) April 19, 2020

For more on Doom Eternal,check out our review of the game.Â


Hot Toys Unveils Teenage Groot & Rocket 1/6th Figure for Infinity War

Our favorite duo in the MCU is back at it in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War and as expected, Hot Toys recently released promo pics of their 1/6th scale action figures. Check them out:

Teenage Groot stands just below 30cm and comes with 15 points of articulation while Rocket is just a little over half of that, at 16cm and carries 17 points of articulations. As usual, both come with exchangeable sets of hands; five for Groot and three for Rocket. These figures are sold as a pack and are also available separately.
Anyway, both hand-painted figures come with their accessories such as blaster rifles and a handheld game console so you can easily recreate your favorite scenes from the upcoming movie.
For more details, head over to their official site here.

We also previewed the latest Hot Toys Iron Man suit, the one Tony Stark will be wearing in Infinity War here. Inspired by a shape-shifting suit as seen in the Invincible Iron Man comics, this may be Stark’s most revolutionary suit yet.


These Adidas Shoes Are Inspired By Star Wars’ Most Iconic Starships

Adidas and Star Wars are collaborating yet again for another line of shoes to commemorate the upcoming release of Star Wars Episode IX The Rise Of Skywalker next month. The new Adidas x Star Wars Space Battle collection consists of three popular shoes from the sports brand: the Ultraboost S&L, the Ultraboost 19 and the futuristic Alphaedge 4D.
Ultraboost S&L X-Wing Starfighter (RM750)

This one is inspired by none other but the X-Wing, with the blueprint of the iconic starfighter covering the upper and sole of the shoe, as well as the colours orange and grey. The quotes â€Stay on target.â€ and â€œThe force will be with you, always.â€ adorn the heels.
Ultraboost 19 Millennium Falcon (RM850)

This sneaker is inspired by perhaps the single most iconic ship in Star Wars canon, with grey and blue colouring, reflective features, and metallic elements that reflect the Millennium Falcon. The quotes â€œJump to lightspeed.â€ and â€œNever tell me the odds.â€ adorn the heels.
Alphaedge 4D Death Star (RM1400)

Inspired by the Death Star, this shoe is primarily black, sporting a metallic upper and 3D-printed midsole. The quotes â€œThatâ€™s no moon.â€ and â€œThe power of the dark side.â€ adorn the heels.
The Star Wars x Adidas “Space Battle” collection is now available for purchase on Adidas.com and at select Adidas retailers.


Quake Gets A Remastering For All Consoles & PC; Out Right Now

Surprise! Bethesda and id Software just announced an improved and remastered version of its legendary first-person 3D shooter Quake.Â
It’s out right now for PC, PS4, Xbox One (and Xbox Game Pass), and Nintendo Switch. This new version features modestly enhanced graphics, crossplay support, the original two expansion packs, and two newer ones from MachineGames. It also features widescreen resolution support, fancier lighting, and the classic Nine Inch Nails soundtrack.
The Xbox Series and PS5 versions will be out at a later date.

Experience an updated and visually enhanced version of Quake. Now with 4K, widescreen support, enhanced models, dynamic & colored lighting, anti-aliasing, depth of field, 120 FPS, achievements and more content.
Coming to Xbox Game Pass today.
Xbox Store: https://t.co/adzlU9XGFj pic.twitter.com/sMfr94Yijg
— Klobrille (@klobrille) August 19, 2021


3D Realms Is Hosting An Online Event With Industry Veterans This September

The folks at 3D Realms, renowned for not just last year’s Ion Fury but also Duke Nukem 3D, Prey, and other first-person shooter classics, will be hosting its own online event called Realms Deep. Trailer below.

The company’s online event will run during the weekend of 6th-7th September, 2am GMT+8, and will serve up news and announcements from 3D Realms themselves, 1C Entertainment, New Blood Interactive, Nightdive Studios, and more.
Industry folks will also make an appearance, including folks like John Romero, Cliff Bleszinski, Tim Willits, and Jon St. John (the voice of Duke Nukem). Here’s an official statement from 3D Realms VP Frederik Schreiber on the event:

“Realms Deep 2020 gives us the chance to highlight what weâ€™re working on while showcasing all the badass projects our friends are cooking up. Itâ€™s been a strange year, but we want to treat this as an awesome casual hangout with our fans and friends.”

At least there’s some good coming out from COVID-19: fans, media, and gaming folks can check out talks and upcoming news/game releases online instead of spending travel and accommodation money for exclusive traffic and content.


Here Is 15 Minutes Of The Mageseeker: A League Of Legends Story Gameplay

Riot Games is at it again with its plethora of spin-off games based on its long-running franchise League of Legends. If it means more game genres that flesh out the lore while delivering different kinds of gaming thrills like Ruined King, count us in.
The latest in line is The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story. This top-down action RPG from developer Digital Sun puts you in the shoes of Sylas, a formerly-imprisoned mage who now fights for freedom against the mageseeker group that put him there. He ends up joining a rebel army and pursuits justice and vengeance by killing every mageseeker and spellcaster (and also monsters and mutants) in the way. How? By using his chains as melee attacks and his special magic-stealing ability to fling it back at his oppressors.
See, Mageseeker’s main hook is the magic-leeching: Sylas can absorb someone’s magic and use that against enemies. While it doesn’t use up mana, it’s only usable once, so you need to make the shot count. As the game features 6 elements, you’ll have a lot of spells to steal from ranging from the usual fire and ice projectile to even one Mystic spell that buffs up your hit points. Your chains can also deal good damage, and you can grapple onto foes to get close to them for some righteous pounding. You can upgrade your skills and even slot in your own spells, though the latter costs you mana. You can also recruit rebel mages that can passively buff your skills and give you additional attacks like a Mystic-element projectile to an ice ground-pound move that slows enemies down at the point of impact.
We’ve spent 6 hours on the game so far, with a few more in tow before we can get a proper review done. While that’s still a work in progress, why not check out the 15 minutes of action RPG gameplay below and see if the 2D pixel art and combat jive with you?

The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story will be out on 18th April for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation.


The 30 Best Games Of 2021: #20

Every day from late December to mid-January, we’ll be revealing our favourite games of 2021 one by one. Here’s number 20!
#20. Forza Horizon 5

2021 has some noteworthy racing games like the pretty fun Hot Wheels Unleashed. But we’ll have to give more props to the big-budget car game that offers a f***ton of cars, a slew of races and courses in one pretty lively part of Mexico (tropical beaches, towns, volcanic areas, forests, etc.), and an optional online component where you can team up with random people for points and challenges.
Forza Horizon 5 may be an easy choice for “best racing game of 2021”, but even if it had stiff competition from the Polyphony folks, we’re pretty confident that Playground Studios’ latest driving venture is sure to come out on top just for its replayability, single-player content, and wealth of modes and unlockables without any restrictive kind of driving. Sure, the whole party vibe may turn some people off -it’s basically a frat boy and crypto-NFT-bro type situation where money’s wasted on PG-level hedonism.
Still, it’s hard not to find joy in a game that lets you go offroad with a sweet-ass Bentley with little to no repercussions.


Curse Of The Scarab Arrives In For Honor Year 6 Season 2

Ubisoft has announced that For Honor’s Year 6 Season 2, Curse Of The Scarab, will release on 16 June 2022. After the Great Cataclysm, Bolthorn used the stolen relics’ power in an attempt to save his people, but he unknowingly released a terrible curse upon Heathmoor in the process. Inspired by Egyptian mythology, this season introduces a new Hero Skin, a new Battle Pass and Battle Bundle, the Justice of the Pharaohs event, and brings back the Testing Grounds from 30 June to 7 July 2022 focusing on Guardbreak vulnerability changes.
The Curse of the Scarab will bring forth new in-game environment changes to reflect the curse brought over Heathmoor. Players can look forward to the three-part short story “Sands of Ruin,” which will reveal Bolthorn’s motivations for using the stolen relics and inadvertently dooming the land, and part one releases on 17 June 2022. The new event, Justice of the Pharaohs, has a new variation of the Dominion game mode, lootable weapons, a free event pass, and new orders. The playable event is on the Riverfort map, including ambiance and art updates, and takes place from 16 June until 7 July 2022. More surprises will be revealed later in the season.

Year 6 Season 2’s Battle Pass will be available at launch with 100 tiers of different rewards reflecting the season’s theme. Players can grab the traditional Battle Pass, or the Battle Bundle, which includes the Battle Pass and instantly unlocks 25 tiers. Also, the new Hero skin, Bolthorn the Cursed, will be available at season launch for 25,000 Steel.
With over 30 million players, For Honor is available to play now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC with Xbox Game Pass, as well as on PS4. For Honor is also playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S through backward compatibility.


Tales Of Arise Atelier Sophie 2 & Scarlet Nexus Collab Items Are Now Live

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Asia has announced the release of special in-game items for Tales Of Arise from the alchemy RPG Atelier Sophie 2 and the brain punk action RPG, Scarlet Nexus.
Starting from today, collaboration items from Atelier Sophie 2 are available for download as a free update, as part of the “Atelier Sophie 2 Collaboration Pack”. The pack contains the attachment “Sophie’s Flower Hair Clip”, as well as weapons available for use by Shionne and Dohalim.

Item Download Method
1. Open in the in-game menu and select “System”2. From the system menu, select “DLC Acquisition List”3. Under the “DLC Acquisition List”, select “Atelier Sophie 2 Collaboration Pack” to acquire the items

Attachment “Sophie’s Flower Hair Clip”

Shionne: Weapon / weapon skin “Hunting Rifle”

Dohalim: Weapon / weapon skin “Starguide Staff”

Collaboration items from SCARLET NEXUS have also been released today as a free update! In this collaboration, Yuito’s weapon, “Myoho Muramasa Replica”, is available for use by Alphen, as well as the attachments “Handmade Hair Clip Replica” and “Baki”. In addition, “Incompatible Thoughts” from the SCARLET NEXUS soundtrack will become available to select as BGM from the menu screen.
Item Download Method
1. Open in the in-game menu and select “System”.2. From the system menu, select “DLC Acquisition List”3. Under the “DLC Acquisition List”, select “SNX Collaboration Pack” to acquire the items


Ubisoft Announces Rainbow Six Siege Year 8 Roadmap

Ubisoft has announced an ambitious Year 8 roadmap for Rainbow Six Siege introducing new player protection initiatives like Mousetrap, four action-packed seasons with four new Operators, a new map, four Battle Passes, onboarding and practice features for new and returning players, balancing changes, exciting events, and many more updates to reinforce the game as the ultimate tactical shooter experience.
During Year 7, Rainbow Six Siege introduced cross-play and cross-progression, four new Operators, two new maps, many anti-cheat features, a Reputation System to reduce toxicity and encourage positive behaviour, numerous Operator balancing updates, Privacy Mode, UI and HUD improvements, and more. In Year 8, Ubisoft continues its long-term commitment to make Rainbow Six Siege an exciting, thoughtful, and fair game.
Commanding Force, the first season of Year 8, will bring the Brazilian Attacker Brava and important updates including an immersive reload rework. Season 1 also adds the groundbreaking anti-Mouse & Keyboard solution on Console, Mousetrap, which will prevent cheaters from using an unfair advantage when playing against players with controllers. Season 2 will introduce a Swedish Operator, an immersive rework of the Consulate map, and the launch of Permanent Arcade Playlist. In addition, the Shooting Range will receive an update to add new target modes to assist new and returning players in practicing before matches.
Season 3’s Operator arrives from South Korea, bringing an in-depth rework of Quick Match – more details below. The last Operator of the year will be from Portugal alongside a brand-new map and a vital onboarding feature: the Defender AI playlist, offering a new way for players to practice Operators, test strategies, and perfect their approach on different maps.
Player Protection
Continuing from Year 7, the development team will continue prioritizing player protection and further anti-cheat efforts. Initiatives being introduced include the new QB security system, which aims to increase the difficulty of producing cheats; and Mousetrap, launching in Season 1, a new security measure aiming to reduce the impact of Mouse & Keyboard cheaters on consoles. This game-changing feature intends to remove the advantage that those cheaters have on the gameplay experience and to make the experience fairer for everyone. Mousetrap will receive iterations season to season and will stand out as the first notable example of a feature like this in the competitive gaming industry.
Alongside the Reputation System released in beta last year, the team is working on a new initiative. The Player Commendation System will introduce an appreciation system allowing players to rate other players on the experience they had playing together. This system will be monitored to ensure it will be fair for everyone.
There will also be new requirements to play Ranked that aim to reduce inadequate accounts during your play experience and smurfing. In addition, Privacy Mode, introduced for PC last year to protect creators, will be launching later on console for all players. Overall, in Year 8, the development team seeks to make Rainbow Six Siege a more cooperative, welcoming, and safe game for everyone.
Further anti-toxicity measures include a new Reputation Penalty for abusive voice chat. While active, this penalty mutes repeat offenders by default to prevent hateful and disruptive content in voice chat. Muted players can still use voice chat but will only be heard by players who manually unmute them.
Year 8 Pass
From February 20 until March 20, players can purchase the limited-time Year 8 Pass to unlock the four seasonal Battle Passes, a 14-day early access to new Operators when they launch, a 10% VIP discount on the shop, a full Operator bundle for Ace, up to 2,400 R6 Credits, and more. The Premium Year Pass offers all the before mentioned perks plus 20 extra Battle tokens that players can use to unlock rewards faster.
Console And Player Comfort Improvements
Following Year 7’s updates, further dedicated updates will launch this year for console players – alongside Mousetrap and Privacy Mode for console, controller layout flexibility and controller remapping will also arrive this season. Quick Match will also receive an extensive update to make it stand out as much as Ranked and Unranked. This will cut down on the amount of down time that players have in Quick Match and reducing the amount of repetition so players can get into the game quicker and experience Siege’s action at its best.
Players can expect a refresher coming to the Play section menu UI: three categories – Competitive, Quick Play, and Training – that will contain existing and new playlists. There will also be a dynamic pattern for each of those categories below the tile, allowing players to directly access their last played playlists inside that category. For the playlists that have different game modes, a settings button will let players select the game modes directly instead of having to go through the global settings button. Throughout Year 8, further improvements to increase player comfort will continue being added in-game.
Onboarding & Practicing Features
To better introduce new players to Rainbow Six Siege, Year 8 will prioritize onboarding in a different way each season. Season 1 will add Beginner Challenges, a new progression tool allowing new players to learn how to play and unlock new Operators as they play. Season 2 adds the Aiming Lane to the Shooting Range, letting players customize skills, movement, quantity of targets, and numerous customizations including advanced techniques like headshots only.
Season 3 brings Playable tutorials – brand-new maps for the player to learn different gameplay elements like destruction, verticality, droning and repelling, etc. Finally, Season 4 introduces the Defender AI playlist – a safe place to teach others how to play new Operators and maps. This playlist will use a machine learning algorithm informed by current players.
Balancing And Playlist Updates
The development team will continue reworking several Operators this year including Zero, Frost and others. Year 8 will add an immersive reload update, a tactical mechanic, an Observation blocker that lets Defenders control what intel is given to Attackers, and a full rework of shield Operators to improve players’ experience while playing them.
Check out the trailer below:


These Adidas Cyberpunk 2077 Sneakers Are Ready For Night City

Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most highly-anticipated games in 2020, which is probably why Adidas wants a piece of the action as well.
The Adidas x9000l4 Boost x Cyberpunk sneakers are set to launch sometime this November to coincide with the game’s upcoming release date of 19 November 2020.
In black and purple, the upper is accented with bright yellow on the Adidas’ iconic Three Stripes, while a bit garish-looking â€˜Cyberâ€™ and ‘Punk’ text adorn the lateral midsole and medial, respectively.
Meanwhile, the heel section of the sneakers features a barcode-like pattern which fits the overall Cyberpunk theme. No release date has been officially announced, but check out images of the Adidas x9000l4 Boost x Cyberpunk sneakers below (via solebyjc).


Happy 25th Anniversary, PlayStation! The Best PS1 Games Of All Time

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the original PlayStation, which originally launched in Japan on 3 December 1994 and changing the landscape of the gaming industry forever. Sony’s first console is currently the fifth best-selling gaming console of all-time (including handhelds), with over 102.49 million units sold to date.

No other console can compare to the legacy of the PlayStation in gaming history. To celebrate that PS1’s anniversary milestone, we list down the best games on the iconic and legendary gaming machine. For the purpose of this article, we’ll only be counting those that began as PS1 exclusives; not multi-platform titles or ports.
Technically, we’ve done a list kinda like this one, but it’s addressing last year’s PlayStation Classic. Even so, we feel that we should shed light on some more titles that cemented the console’s ever-expanding legacy.
Let’s Go!
Aside: if you want to read our other 25th PlayStation anniversary articles and features, check out the links below:

Our favourite PS1 moments

The best PS1 game soundtracks

The best PS1 2D artwork out there


Razer Razes The Competition At The IP Awards 2019

Gaming peripherals giant Razer has won three awards at the recently-held WIPO-IPOS Intellectual Property Awards 2019. These awards include:

WIPO IP Enterprise Trophy – Awarded to the most outstanding recipient of the IPOS Award for IP Champions. The objective is to recognize an organization that has made imaginative use of IP in their business activities.
WIPO Usersâ€™ Trophy – Awarded to a particular user of WIPOâ€™s IP services. These services include the Patent Cooperation Treaty System (for patents), the Madrid System (for trademarks), the Hague System (for registered designs) and the Lisbon System (for appellations of origin), together with the services of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center. The trophy recognizes the early adoption or innovative use of these services.
IPOS Award for IP Champions – Awarded to the top three organizations that have successfully achieved outstanding enterprise growth with a strong IP and IA strategy.

Razer has filed over 3000 patents, trademarks and registered designs in Singapore since its founding in 2005. These innovations include the Razer Chroma RGB lighting system, Razer Blades laptops, Razer mechanical gaming keyboards, and many more, not to mention the company’s contributions to esports.
Razer Chief Legal Officer Mr Choo Wei-Pin said:

â€œRazer is the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers with over 70 million users on our hardware, software and services platforms.
From pioneering gaming hardware categories like gaming laptops to building Razer Gold, the worldâ€™s most popular virtual credit system for gamers, these achievements were made possible through the robust IP framework of Singapore and other nations.
We are honored to receive three major IPOS awards today.
They are a resounding testimony to our relentless drive to innovate.â€


Wayfinder Early Access Slated For May; Here’s Some New Action RPG Gameplay To Tide You Over

Publisher Digital Extremes (Warframe) and developer Airship Syndicate (Battle Chasers) have shown off more gameplay of its upcoming online action RPG Wayfinder.
The gameplay below shows off tight and nicely-done action RPGing where your heroes slaughter waves of enemies in dungeons. You can even modify dungeon properties so that they spawn more enemies, or even lace them with more abilities in exchange for better loot drops when completing them. The tougher the fight, the bigger the rewards. Check it out below.

While the closed beta is ongoing, the game will launch in Early Access for PC, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4 this May. The game will be launched in free-to-play form this Fall. You can try your luck and sign up for the closed beta here (for PC) and on the game’s official website.


Star Wars Tales Of The Jedi Breakdown & Easter Eggs

Star Wars Tales Of The Jedi is an anthology of six all-new animated shorts produced by Lucasfilm Animation and created by Dave Filoni (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “Star Wars Rebels”). Based on Star Wars and characters created by George Lucas, the series is set during the prequel era and spotlights important moments in the lives of fan-favourite characters Ahsoka Tano and Jedi-turned-Sith Lord Count Dooku as they embark on respective paths toward heroism and villainy.
Star Wars Tales Of The Jedi features the voices of Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano; Corey Burton as Count Dooku; Janina Gavankar as Ahsoka’s mother, Pav-ti; Micheal Richardson as young Qui-Gon Jinn; TC Carson as Mace Windu; Ian McDiarmid as Darth Sidious; Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn; Phil Lamarr as Bail Organa; Clancy Brown as Inquisitor; Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker; and James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Dave Filoni is the creator, supervising director, executive producer, and writer of five of the six shorts: “Life and Death”; “Justice”; “The Sith Lord”; “Practice Makes Perfect”; and “Coda.” Charles Murray and Élan Murray are the writers of “Choices.” Nathaniel Villanueva directs “Life and Death”; Charles Murray directs “Choices”; Saul Ruiz directs “Justice”; “The Sith Lord”; “Practice Makes Perfect”; and “Coda.” In addition to Filoni, Athena Yvette Portillo and Carrie Beck are executive producers; Alex Spotswood and Josh Rimes are producers.

Episode 1
Baby Ahsoka

Move over, Grogu AKA Baby Yoda. It’s time for Baby Ahsoka to shine.
The Names Of Ahsoka’s Parents

The name of Ahsoka’s father is Nak-il (below) while the name of Ahsoka’s mother is Pav-ti (above).

Ahsoka Was Already Force-Sensitive As A Baby

The Togruti village elder realises that Ahsoka is Force-sensitive and is destined to be a Jedi as she’s able to calm down and connect to the tiger creature. One common Force-sensitive ability in Star Wars lore is being able to connect to all living things. In this way, many Jedi can pacify even the most ferocious beasts.
Episode 2
A Young Count Dooku & His Padawan, An Even Younger Qui-Gon Jinn

Yeah, that’s a young Count Dooku (left) as a Jedi master before he eventually became the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus and an even younger Qui-Gon Jinn (right) as his Padawan apprentice.
Count Dooku Uses Force Choke, Foreshadowing His Fall To The Dark Side

Count Dooku uses Force Choke on Senator Dagonet, which means that even years ago, he was already leaning towards the Dark Side. Force Choke is an ability often categorised as a Sith ability.
Episode 3
Funeral Of A Jedi

It’s interesting to see a proper funeral of a Jedi Master taking place at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
Mace Windu Became A Jedi Council Member To Replace The Late Master Katri

Mace Windu became a member of the Jedi Council due to the death of Jedi Master Katri.
Count Dooku’s Road To The Dark Side Mirrors That Of Anakin Skywalker

It’s interesting how Count Dooku is moving towards the Dark Side similar to Anakin’s journey in the Prequels. Both of them starting losing faith in both the Republic (which is becoming more corrupt) and a Jedi Council that cares more for politics than truly protecting the Galaxy.
Episode 4
Star Wars Attack Of The Clones Easter Egg

The reason why Obi-Wan Kenobi couldn’t find Planet Kamino in 2002’s Star Wars Episode II Attack Of The Clones has been revealed. We already know that it was deleted in the Jedi Archives but it turns out that Count Dooku was the one who did it.
That’s not a surprise, considering that it was Count Dooku who caused the death of Master Sifo-Dyas in the first place. Count Dooku killed Master Sifo-Dyas because he (and Darth Sidious AKA Palpatine) took over the Clone Army started by Master Sifo-Dyas on Kamino, which is what made Order 66 in Star Wars Episode III Revenge Of The Sith possible.
The First Half Of This Episode Takes Place During Episode 1 The Phantom Menace

Master Jocasta Nu mentions that Qui-Gon Jinn claims that he encountered a Sith. That Sith is probably Darth Maul, which means that this episode is taking place during the events of Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace.
Yaddle Makes An Appearance

This is the first time in Star Wars canon that we see Yaddle actually speaking and walking. She made her first appearance in Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace as a member of the Jedi Council.
If you don’t remember, this was Yaddle in the movie:

Yaddle Left The Jedi Council Before She Gets Killed By Count Dooku

So that’s why we never see her in future movies. And because she voluntarily left the Jedi Council before getting killed by Count Dooku, that’s probably why no one found her being MIA suspicious.
Ian McDiarmid And Liam Neeson Reprised Their Roles, Bryce Dallas Howard Voices Yaddle

Remember when I said that Yaddle never spoke in the movie? It’s great to see Bryce Dallas Howard voicing Yaddle. She directed two episodes of The Mandalorian and one episode of The Book Of Boba Fett.
Also, Ian McDiarmid and Liam Neeson returning is a treat for Star Wars fans.
Episode 5
A Young Kanan Jarrus Makes An Appearance

Yes, during Ahsoka Tano’s training, that was a young Padawan Kanan Jarrus who was spectating alongside his Master, Depa Bilabba. Kanan would eventually grow up to survive Order 66 and later become a rebel, training Ezra Bridger in the Star Wars Rebels animated series set during the era of the Empire.

This Whole Episode Is Basically How She Started Using The Jar’Kai Stance

She started with one lightsaber but goes to use her iconic stance of two lightsabers. It’s called the Jar’Kai stance, a method of utilizing two lightsabers in combat. Jar’Kai could be employed with two standard-length lightsabers, a primary weapon in addition to a shorter shoto blade, which is what is employed by Ahsoka Tano during this time.
Episode 6
Ahsoka Tano Was There At Padme’s Funeral

Star Wars fans have long questioned what would Ahsoka Tano’s reaction to Padme’s death be. Now we’ve finally gotten that, and it’s heartbreaking.

Ahsoka Tano Became A Farmer In Between The End Of Episode III And Rebels

So that’s what Ahsoka was doing all those years between the end of Star Wars Episode III Revenge Of The Sith and Star Wars Rebels.
An Inquisitor

Ahsoka Tano Defeats An Inquisitor Without Using A Lightsaber

Ahsoka Tano defeats an Inquisitor without even using her own lightsaber.
After that, she calls Bail Organa and is ready to join the Rebels, which is what leads to the events of Star Wars Rebels.


Cuphead Animated Series Launches Next Month

Cuphead and Mugman are getting an animated series on Netflix.
Based on the tough-as-nails 2D action game, The Cuphead Show! follows the unique misadventures of loveable and impulsive scamp Cuphead and his cautious but easily-swayed brother Mugman. The animation is what you would expect: 40s ragtime style comedy featuring rejects from old Warner Bros/Disney classic cartoons in a fresh coat of 2022 animation paint. Apart from Cuphead and Mugman, there’s also The Devil, Porkrind the shopkeeper, King Dice, and Ms. Chalice.

The Cuphead Show! will be available on Netflix this 18 February. The upcoming Cuphead DLC will be out on 30 June, 2022 for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.


PUBG Mobile Partners With KartRider Rush+ For Charming Cosmetics & Car Skins

PUBG MOBILE is back to entertain their millions of active players and community with a new collaboration with KartRider Rush+, an online multiplayer racing game from South Korea. The collaboration with KartRider Rush+ will bring iconic and unique items to the PUBG MOBILE battleground for a limited time starting now and until 31 October 2021.
PUBG MOBILE x KartRider Rush+ collaboration items will only be available during the collaboration period and they consist of three types of Cute Bazzi sets that are in Red, Pink and Panda. Apart from this adorable costume set, there is the Cute Bazzi Backpack, Cute Bazzi Pan, and Pink Cotton Dacia, the iconic kart from the KartRider game that comes as a car skin.
Exclusive Kart Style items are available at the PUBG MOBILE Lucky Crate, which can be earned from 50 UC (Unknown Cash) for one unlock, or players can get a discount by unlocking 10 crates directly for 450 UC. The more Crates that players unlock, the higher the probability of getting a special skin as players’ Lucky Value increases over time.

KartRider Rush+ is a kart racing mobile game that is part of the longest-running franchise of the racing genre with millions of fans, especially in Asia. Originating in South Korea in 2004, the game features dozens of racing circuits with outstanding graphics and a variety of game modes. In addition, players can choose from a wide array of vehicles, drivers, including unique helmets and all kinds of accessories.

â€œSustainable updates and innovations are something that PUBG MOBILE prioritizes to provide players with for better gaming experiences,â€ saidÂ Jenny Zhuang, PUBG MOBILE Marketing Manager SEA.
â€œThis new collaboration with one of the most famous kart racing games, KartRider Rush+ is prove that players can expect more surprises through the PUBG MOBILE 1.6 update.â€

The version 1.6 update has also brought other new content and game mode such as Flower Menace. PUBG MOBILE has also brought back seven nostalgic best game modes:Â Vikendi map, Metro Royale: Reunion, Titans: Last Stand, Survive Till Dawn, Payload 2.0, Runic Power and the Infection Mode.
PUBG MOBILE Version 1.6 update is available onÂ App StoreÂ andÂ Google Play Store.


Ragnarok X Next Generation Pet System Update Is Now Live

Nuverse has announced the highly anticipated Pet System Update to Ragnarok X Next Generation. Alongside the update, there will also be lots of fun and unique events designed to highlight the new system, not to mention all the amazing rewards that will be given out.
While adventuring with friends is always a joy, there is something to be said about having a loyal animal (or monster) companion you can take everywhere with you – one that can keep you company on those long dungeon crawls, or even to lend a hand in battle.
As fans of the original Ragnarok Online might recall, the pet system offers a select number of monster companions for players to catch and raise, with the pets faithfully following their owners every step of their adventure. In Ragnarok X Next Generation, pets will loyally follow their owners around, as well as become an active part of each adventurerâ€™s battle strategies.

In Ragnarok X Next Generation, each pet will be born with a specific talent that highlights their special passive traits. This gives each pet its own strength, meaning they’ll be of great help along with your adventures. Poring and a whole bunch of other delightful pets are already awaiting their masters.
Furthermore, by raising the petâ€™s Intimacy levels through special props, each pet can learn up to 6 active skills that can be used when battling. The skills that each pet learns are chosen randomly from a larger pool of established skills, so you might need to find the most ideal combination of skills for your needs. Then there is also the Bond level, which functions similarly to the Bond Card system.

With this update, players have 16 pets available for collection – nine have to be caught, six have to be evolved, while Phreeoni will only be available through events. Players have no shortage of options to customize their pets to be the perfect companions both during and while out of combat.
To unlock the pet system, players will need to attain a base level of 60. After unlocking the system, Adventurers need to complete three guided quests, teaching them how to buy a slingshot, how to load it, and how to unlock the Pet Encyclopedia. Upon finishing these three quests, they can start their journey of becoming a master of pets!

As part of the Pet System Update, Ragnarok X Next Generation players will also be able to take part in two special events, both of which come with their own unique rewards you wonâ€™t want to miss. In the Poring vs. Lunatic event, players will be divided into two factions and compete to earn more Favor Points by completing daily quests.
Whereas in the Pet Adventures Event, players can either play a Monopoly-style board game or hunt down monsters through â€˜Odinâ€™s Blessingsâ€™ to earn â€˜Activityâ€™, which can then be exchanged for prizes at the eventâ€™s Exchange Store.

With plenty of adorable critters to choose from, choose one whose own unique combination of abilities and talents suits you best.
You can downloadÂ Ragnarok X Next GenerationÂ on iOS (Link) or Android (Link).


There’s A Lot Of Charm & Slashing In This New 2.5D Action Cyberpunk Title

Platform(s): PC (version played), PS4
Genre: 2.5D action adventure with high-flying combat
In Anno: Mutationem, the latest action-adventure title from China-based developer ThinkingStars, you play mysterious past-laden anime girl protagonist Ann. She’s on a task to find her rapscallion of a brother while also coming to grips with her existence and her sci-fi world disease that seems to be plaguing her from start to finish.
She also fights really well with regular swords, pistols, dual blades, and a giant broadsword, mixing it all up with light, ranged, and heavy attacks Devil May Cry style (but 2D and limited ammo) when dealing with thugs, cyberpunk, mutants, and all sorts of robots & mechas you would find in a cyberpunk world made by indie developers.
Something Borrowed…

Said developers are also fans of anime, The Matrix, and other pop culture scifi cyberpunk pieces of entertainment. Which is why you’ll have comical scenes like the one where Ann gets dolled up to enter a club for some info-extraction (fanservice and all), an intro where we get a few seconds of Ann in the shower (tastefully obscuring her privates), and a couple of serious bits involving Ann’s past, the cyber-mafia and scientists involved, and an Illuminati-type shady group who has ties with Ann.
Not that it’s done bad, mind you, but you won’t find that many original ideas and concepts, with some of the game’s later plot details getting a bit mixed up to the point where you’re just tuning out and going where the action is. The concepts and story details are pinched here and there from other sources, just with a gorgeous 2D pixel and 3D art aesthetic painted all over it.

And by golly, this aesthetic is the highlight of Anno: Mutationem. It looks great both in static and in motion, the art direction works whether you’re in the city or kicking ass in the basements and underground labs/mutant hellholes, and the plays smoothly for the most parts. My favourite bits of the game include taking the sights in after conquering one of the “dungeon mazes” filled with mutants and slugs, then heading to Ann’s family bar for a quick drink-mixing minigame.
The title could use a bit more polish in terms of its vague sidequest lines, its subtitles not matching with the VO, and a few typos here and there. I’d also complain about the tedious backtracking and repetitiveness of the missions as the game progresses, but that’s all balanced out by some fun boss fights and the generous checkpoint system.
Long story short: I’d definitely recommend this beautiful and fine-playing 2.5D pixel-esque action title if you need a 2022-made cyberpunk-laden experience.
Final Score: 80/100


Here’s What An Asus ROG Phone 2 Would Cost You In Malaysia

By now, you’ve probably seen ads on Lazada and Shopee for the Asus ROG Phone 2. However, those are the imported sets and if you’re keen on getting the official Malaysian model, then I’ve got good news for you. It was officially launched yesterday and here are the prices:

Asus ROG Phone 2
12GB RAM / 512GB ROM
RM3,499
Asus ROG Phone 2
12GB RAM / 1TB ROM
RM4,499
Asus ROG Phone 2 Superpack
12GB RAM / 512GB ROM + all accessories and ROG suitcase
RM6,999
The Superpack comes in a special ROG suitcase made for storing all the accessories associated with the ROG Phone 2 which includes the ROG Kunai GamePad, TwinView Dock II, Mobile Desktop Dock, WiGig Display Dock Plus, and ROG Phone Bag. I suppose it’s made for those of you who want to make sure your family knows how much of a hardcore gamer you are every time you “balik kampung”.
If you’re interested in ordering the phones online, they’re sold on both Lazada and Shopee. The Superpack is only officially sold on Lazada.
In case you haven’t seen what you’ll get when you buy one of these babies, check out our unboxing video here. If you’re on the fence about the getting the phone, worry not because our ROG Phone 2 review will be out very soon.


All The Games From PlayStation State Of Play June 2022

A new PlayStation State Of Play live stream took place on 3 June 2021, showcasing around 30 minutes of games and PlayStation VR2 titles.
Resident Evil 4 Remake

Capcom has announced the Resident Evil 4 Remake for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 24 March 2023.

Four Games For PlayStation VR2
Four games are coming to the upcoming PlayStation VR2, but there are no release dates yet for the device and the games.

Resident Evil Village

The Walking Dead Saints & Sinners Chapter 2 Retribution
Skydance Interactive and Skybound Entertainment are proud to present the first look at gameplay for the next chapter in the VR title The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners. TWDSS Ch2 is coming to PS VR in late 2022, and is in development for PS VR2.

No Man’s Sky

Horizon Call Of The Mountain
The world of Horizon is spectacular up close. In Call of the Mountain, you’ll be seeing it through the eyes of Ryas, a former Shadow Carja Warrior who hopes to redeem himself by investigating a grave new threat to the Sundom. He is a master at climbing and archery, two skills crucial to survival as you step into his shoes, scaling perilous mountains and taking down mighty machines like the Thunderjaw.
Throughout your journey, you’ll master various tools and weapons and use the world’s many materials to craft additional gear, equipping you for any situation. But you won’t be going it alone. Along the way, you’ll meet Horizon characters new and old, including Aloy herself.
Alongside the game’s main story, Call of the Mountain will also offer an exciting, immersive River Ride experience. Take a seat and enjoy the gorgeous views of the world of Horizon, but look out; some uninvited machines may try to come aboard! The River Ride is the perfect way for a player using the PS VR2 headset to share the magic of PS VR2 with your friends and family as they watch along on a connected display.
Horizon Call of the Mountain has been proudly developed together with the talented team at Firesprite.

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered PC

PlayStation’s critically-acclaimed game, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, is coming to PC!
Developed by Insomniac Games and fully optimized for PC in collaboration with Nixxes Software, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered will be released on Steam and the Epic Games Store on 12 August 2022.

Stray

Stray will launch for PS5, PS4, and PC via Steam on 19 July 2022.
Lost, alone, and separated from family, a stray cat must untangle an ancient mystery to escape a long-forgotten city. Stray is a third-person cat adventure game set amidst the detailed neon-lit alleys of a decaying cybercity and the murky environments of its seedy underbelly. Along the way, the cat befriends a small flying drone, known only as B12. With the help of this newfound companion, the duo try to find a way out.

The Callisto Protocol

The Callisto Protocol is a survival horror game coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 2 December 2022.
Set on Jupiter’s “dead moon” Callisto in 2320, The Callisto Protocol is the story of Jacob Lee, an inmate at Black Iron Prison who must fight for his life when a mysterious outbreak throws the moon into chaos. Prison guards and inmates are mutating into monstrous creatures called Biophage, and Jacob must battle to survive the horrors of Black Iron and uncover the dark secrets of the United Jupiter Company.

Rollderdrome

Rollerdrome from Roll7 (developer of OlliOlli World) will be out for PS4, PS5 and PC on 16 August 2022.

Eternights

Studio Sai has announced Eternights for PS4, PS5, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store). It will launch in early 2023.
Eternights is a dating action game, blending a love story with adrenaline-driven combat as you make the most out of life during the apocalypse. Scavenge for supplies, explore dungeons… and go on dates.

Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 will release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC in 2023.
Take part in the Fighting Ground, which focuses on the classic fighting game experience with modes from previous games in the series. Two new modes will be available alongside: World Tour, an immersive single-player story experience, and Battle Hub, which will further expand the scope of player communication and engagement.

Update: here’s a breakdown of the gameplay and some of its Easter Eggs from our own fighting game expert Jonathan “Mr Toffee” Leo.

Tunic

Tunic is coming to PS4 and PS5 on 27 September 2022.
Explore a land filled with lost legends, ancient powers, and ferocious monsters in TUNIC, an isometric action game about a small fox on a big adventure. Stranded in a ruined land, and armed with only your own curiosity, you will confront colossal beasts, collect strange and powerful items, and unravel long-lost secrets.

Season A Letter To The Future

Season A Letter To The Future comes to the PS4 and PS5 sometime in Autumn 2022.

Final Fantasy XVI

Final Fantasy XVI will release for the PS5 in summer 2023.
According to PlayStation Blog, the game will feature high-octane battles featuring our protagonist Clive Rosfield wielding a full arsenal of attacks unique to the game’s many Eikons (summons), as well as epic clashes between the Eikons themselves that put you right in the action.
The trailer introduces several new Eikons, as well as the game’s action-packed battle system.
The game’s synopsis reads:
Permanent Economic Adviser Hugo Kupka’s meteoric rise to prominence was sudden, if not unexpected. Once a nameless foot soldier in the Republican Army, his awakening as Dominant of the Eikon Titan thrust him to the forefront of Dhalmekian politics. It was here he used his newfound position as the most powerful man in the republic to exert influence over both the nation’s armies and its policy making, amassing a personal fortune in the process. Yet while it is said that a man who has everything wants for nothing, Benedikta Harman will teach him money and power are far from all the world has to offer.
Having emerged from the storm of youth coldhearted and ruthless, Benedikta Harman, Dominant of the Eikon Garuda, Warden of the Wind, turned her talent for swordplay and subterfuge into a command of Waloed’s elite intelligencers. It is on a mission to find the elusive second Eikon of Fire that she crosses paths with a like-minded Clive and is forced to face her past.
Here’s the key developers working on the game:

Producer Naoki Yoshida
Main Director Hiroshi Takai
Creative Director & Original Screenplay Kazutoyo Maehiro
Localization Director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox
Art Director Hiroshi Minagawa
Combat Director Ryota Suzuki
Character Design Kazuya Takahashi
Composer Masayoshi Soken


Football Manager 2020 To Kick Off This November

If you’re jonesin’ for some data-sifting and football managing, Sega’s got you covered. Football Manager 2020 will kick off 19th November for PC.
These are the features you will get straight out of the publisher. I don’t know squat about football, so hopefully these sound like really enticing changes and additions to the annual simulation series:

Base yourself in 50 of the biggest footballing countries worldwide
Oversee a new era of success at one of 2,500 clubs at every level.
Sign the best and mould the futureâ€”scout more than 500,000 real players and staff.
Create your tactical vision and bring it to life on the training pitch.
Kick every ball with our most immersive and smartest match engine to date.

At the very least, this football game isn’t going to nickel and dime you with card-collecting mechanics ripped straight out of the F2P handbook. If you want to get a hands-on with the beta, why not read this guide we cooked up?


Dead Island 2 Is Delayed Yet Again, This Time To April 2023

You know what they say: we can wait for a long-awaited game a while longer if the delay’s worth it.
Such is the case of publisher Deep Silver and developer Dambuster Studios’ upcoming action-adventure zombie-killing game Dead Island 2. The game has been delayed from its 3 February 2023 release date to 28th April 2023. It’s a good thing too: February 2023 is incredibly packed with video games galore with Hogwarts Legacy to even that EA Monster Hunter clone.
Here’s the full skinny from publisher Deep Silver:

We have some important news to share, so let’s rip that band aid off straight away. We are delaying Dead Island 2—the new release date will be April 28, 2023.
The irony of delaying Dead Island 2 is not lost on us, and we are as disappointed as you undoubtedly are. The delay is just 12 short weeks and development is on the final straight now; we’re going to take the time we need to make sure we can launch a game we’re proud to launch. For those of you who’ve been waiting for years, thank you for hanging in there with us.
In the meantime, we will be releasing an exciting new trailer and gameplay at The Dead Island 2 Showcase, which will premiere on December 6 on our Twitch and YouTube channels, as well as on the Dead Island website.

If you REALLY need a zombie-killing fix right now up until April, may we suggest Dying Light 2? We gave it a glowing review for its gameplay and action beats, as well as its parkour shenanigans. Not so much its story though; that aspect is as butchered as the undead’s face in-game.


Here’s Some Earth Defense Force 6 Gameplay To Sate Your Bug-Killing Jollies

D3 Publisher and developer Sandlot just showcased a lot of Earth Defense Force 6 gameplay.
The duo still hasn’t released the game’s intended platforms as well as a precise release date apart from a 2021 release window. Still, it’s good to know that the wacky and B-movie grade Earth Defense Force 3D shooter schtick is alive and well with this sixth mothership title.
Check out the 13-minute gameplay footage below.


World Of Warships Adds First Indonesian VTuber Commander

World Of Warships update 12.3 adds four Hololive VTubers , including Shishiro Botan, Moona Hoshinova, Watson Amelia, and Takanashi Kiara as new commanders. This is in collaboration with Hololive. What’s most interesting is that Moona Hoshinova will be the first Indonesian-speaking commander in the game.
According to World Of Warships Regional Publishing Producer Joselito Jimenez (via AntaraNews), the reason for the inclusion is because Indonesia is regarded as one of the game’s main markets in Southeast Asia. He also said that players in Indonesia will be able to appreciate hearing their own language in the game.
As part of this special event, players will also be able to get special expendable camouflage and a commemorative flag for a limited time. The event will run from 5 May to 19 May 2023.
World Of Warships is available for PC, iOS devices, Android devices, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.